NFL Cleveland Browns

Johnny Manziel Must Mature Now or Suffer Same Fate as Tim Tebow

Fresh Videos

By @brianneal23

Johnny Manziel Tim Tebow

Getty Images

That headline may be confusing to read. I understand, so let me explain.

Johnny Manziel and Tim Tebow couldn’t be more different people. While Manziel was out partying in college and having the time of his life, Tebow was talking to sick kids about Jesus. They’re also pretty different players, other than the fact that they are both quarterbacks with the ability to run.

However, there is something to say about where both former Heisman-winning QBs will be in about two years, and that’s not in the NFL (and potentially even both being TV football analysts).

Tebow could have salvaged his NFL career if he was mature enough and shrugged off the pride of having to play quarterback. He was big enough and athletic enough to play several other positions better than he did QB, and could’ve stayed in the league that way. He’ll probably regret that a bit later in life.

The same could be said about Manziel. I was always a fan of his during his time at Texas A&M and I thought he’d excel in the pros. However, it’s quite clear now to everyone (including myself) that his maturity level is simply too low at this point, as was feared by many heading into the draft and season. His talent at the quarterback position is certainly greater than Tebow’s, but his lack of commitment to his craft has been detrimental to his image and standing in the league.

That was all the more clear this past weekend as he threw a party that made him late to therapy for his hamstring injury — causing him to be fined. His party also hurt Josh Gordon, who apparently just can’t say no to anything, and caused the star receiver (as well as Manziel) to miss a walk-through Saturday morning. Gordon was suspended for the last game because of that. Even rookie cornerback Justin Gilbert missed a team meeting, reportedly due to Johnny Football’s party, and he was also deactivated for the Cleveland Browns‘ Week 17 game.

Manziel is the quarterback. He’s supposed to be the leader of that football team, that locker room. But at this point, Manziel isn’t capable of taking care of himself, much less his teammates.

If Manziel doesn’t man up, realize that his only chance to make it in the league is right now and mature over the 2015 offseason, his career could well be over before it even got started. He needs to drop his ego that makes him believe he can excel in this league without taking his job seriously like he did at A&M — just like Tebow needed to but couldn’t with his desire to play quarterback even when he can’t throw the ball well enough — or suffer the same fate as the former Florida Gator: done in the NFL after only a handful of disappointing seasons, or maybe even less for Manziel.

Brian Neal is an NFL contributor for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @brianneal23.

Share Tweet
Trending Now on