Johnny Manziel could get AAF tryout if he's 'clean and clear'
The Alliance of American Football would consider giving troubled quarterback Johnny Manziel a tryout after his abrupt release from the Canadian Football League this week, but only if the former Texas A&M standout can prove he’s moved past his personal struggles.
AAF founder Charlie Ebersol told The Associated Press that the league is “trying to get to the bottom of what happened in Canada” before deciding whether to give Manziel a chance in the league. The CFL’s Montreal Alouettes released Manziel this week for unspecified violations of the terms of his contract.
"We want to be a league of opportunity to the best available players, assuming they are available contractually, with a clean bill of health and a clean criminal record. We want them if they can play at our level,” Ebersol told The Associated Press. “We have to have guys who play at a level that every single guy has a shot to get back to the NFL.”
“We look at everybody. If he is clean and clear, we will certainly talk to him about coming out for a workout,” Ebersol added.
The Alouettes announced Manziel’s release on Tuesday, noting that the franchise made its decision after the CFL discovered evidence that Manziel had “contravened” the terms of his contract. The CFL said it will not approve any new contracts between Manziel and the league’s teams, essentially barring him from Canadian football.
A former first-round NFL draft pick, Manziel was cut by the Cleveland Browns after just two season amid poor on-field performance and a series of off-field incidents. Manziel faced a criminal charge after a 2016 altercation with a former girlfriend, but the charge was later dropped following a deal with prosecutors.
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The AAF is set to kick off its fourth slate of games this weekend. The league employs several former NFL players, including Trent Richardson and Garrett Gilbert.