According to a report in the Dallas Morning News, the XFL Dallas Renegades are passing on quarterback Johnny Manziel. Director of player personnel Daryl “Moose” Johnston said they are not interested.
Johnston, the former Dallas Cowboys fullback, said about Manziel;
“For me the chemistry in the locker room is critical, and especially the quarterback position. He kind of sets the tone, especially for the offensive side of the ball, but really for the whole team. There is so much added responsibility that goes with the face, goes with the voice of the franchise. And I haven’t seen that from Johnny on a consistent basis that I would feel comfortable committing to him.”
Johnston was the director of player personnel for the San Antonio Commanders of the AAF and passed on the controversion QB.
With the Renegades off the table, this leaves only one possible Texas XFL franchise interested in Manziel. That would be the Houston Ruffnecks. Their head coach June Jones spoke highly of Manziel in the past.
Jones was Manziel’s head coach briefly in the CFL before being traded from Hamilton Tiger-Cat to the Montreal Alouettes. He was later banned from the CFL for reasons unknown and signed with the AAF before the league folded in early 2019.
There is still a possibility of interest from one of the other six XFL head coaches. However, going into the inaugural XFL season, coaches will want to have a player who is accustomed to their system. Even better would be one they have worked within the past like Dallas Reneages head coach Bob Stoops and QB Landry Jones, who recently signed with the XFL. Aside from June Jones, none of the other six XFL head coaches worked with Manziel.
With the NFL pre-season about to close and no team interested in signing the QB, the XFL is his only real option. If Manziel’s is not part of the XFL draft, his career could be officially over unless he wants to play in the Arena Football League.
