TEXAS A&M
On “Good Morning America” on Monday morning, former Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel gave an enlightening interview on his battle with bipolar disorder.
Now sober, the former Heisman Trophy winner is trying to make a comeback, but hasn’t had much success so far.
On Monday evening, ESPN host Paul Finebaum, who has long been a critic of Manziel’s, tweeted that he thought Manziel’s interview did a lot of good for others struggling with bipolar disorder and other mental struggles:
Watching @JManziel2 interview again and appreciate his candor. Handled incredibly difficult subject with aplomb. Many suffering have already reacted on show and say Johnny helped them immensely by speaking out. Like everyone, hoping for the best.
— Paul Finebaum (@finebaum) February 12, 2018
Manziel saw the tweet from Finebaum and responded, acknowledging Finebaum’s message and expressing appreciation:
As we all know you have been one of my biggest critics. I had a certain dislike in my heart about you that I’ve let go of. There’s more to life than just football and my health as a person comes before football everyday of the week. I appreciate you saying this.
— Johnny Manziel (@JManziel2) February 13, 2018
Manziel is currently trying to return to the football field, and whether it’s in the Canadian Football League or elsewhere, it’ll be nice to see him playing the game once again.
What’s the 12th man mood been about Manziel before this comeback attempt? For those of us outside the bubble, it’s been to easy to just dislike him. But, I imagine it’s much more complicated when he’s one of your own.
I can’t speak for all of the 12th Man, but my opinion has always been that he was a great player, lots of fun to watch, but was a mess off the field. I’ve rooted for him to get his life together all along. I wish he’d done it before he washed out of the NFL, but seeing him humbled and owning his past was refreshing. I hope he can maintain it. Love him or hate him, he was one of the most dynamic and entertaining players to watch on the field that I can remember and I’m not a young man.
I’d like to think the majority of us still love John Football.
It was difficult to watch how all of the drama off the field affected how he played on the field once he went pro. More over, I believe, it was even sadder to see how his personal struggles diminished what he accomplished while playing for A&M. I don’t think people who aren’t from College Station or former students or just fans of Aggie football can truly appreciate the scope of what he accomplished. It was so much more than winning a Heisman and breaking records. He was truly a blessing to this program at a time when A&M needed it the most. Playing football or not, I just hope he gets his life together and does something worthwhile that can make himself, his family, and the fans who have rooted for him all along confident that he was, is, and always will be a shining example and embodiment of the Aggie Spirit.