Last month, it was announced that former Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel had been cleared to play by the Canadian Football League for the 2018 season. On Sunday, the team that holds Manziel's rights — the Hamilton Tiger-Cats — announced that they had officially made a contract offer to Manziel and his agent.
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From the statement:
"As per the negotiation list process, Johnny Manziel and his agent recently notified the Tiger-Cats that they had activated the 10-day window during which the Tiger-Cats must offer him a contract or lose his negotiation list rights. That window closed today and we can confirm that we made an offer to Manziel, and that his rights will remain on our negotiation list while discussions with he and his agent continue. We will have no further comment."
Manziel was officially cleared by the CFL commissioner last month, and he will be eligible to play in the league so long that he continues to "meet the conditions" provided by the league.
"We have been notified that Johnny Manziel, on our negotiation list since September 2012, has gone through the formal process established by Commissioner Randy Ambrosie, and that provided he meets the conditions laid out to him by the Commissioner, is now eligible to play in the Canadian Football League in 2018 and beyond."
The CFL had declared before that "too many red flags" in Manziel's personal life had led to the decision that the former Texas A&M quarterback and Heisman winner would be ineligible from joining the league in the 2017 season. However, it was stated in September that Manziel would be eligible in the 2018 season if he met certain conditions, and it appears that Manziel has reached that point.
Manziel, 25, has not played pro football since the 2015 season, as the Browns released him back in March of last year after growing conerns over Manziel's mental health. Since that release, Manziel was indicted for assault charges (since dropped), fired by his agent, and suspended by the NFL under its drug policy. Manziel's fall comes after he became the first redshirt freshman to win the Heisman Trophy back in 2012. Manziel was later selected by the Cleveland Browns with a first-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.
