Johnny Manziel's road to gridiron redemption continues with the quarterback signing to Alliance of American Football (AAF).
On Saturday, AAF's Memphis Express announced that the team has claimed Manziel's waivers after the rights to the quarterback were relinquished by the league's San Antonio Commanders.
This news came after a breach in contract led the Canada Football League to ban the former Cleveland Browns quarterback from competition, forcing the Montreal Alouettes to release him. The move made Manziel eligible to join the AAF.
"We are pleased to welcome Johnny Manziel to Alliance of American Football, which we've always described as a league of opportunity for talented players to launch or revitalize their pro football careers," AAF co-founder Bill Polian said to ESPN, before stating that Manziel's troubled history will not be a problem for the league.
"We completed extensive background work to determine whether it would be appropriate for Johnny to play this season, and after consulting with many people familiar with his situation," Polian explained. "We concluded that it would be good for him to resume his pro football career here at The Alliance."
Because of Manziel's Texas roots and outstanding college career at Texas A&M, the San Antonio Commanders initially figured that he would be a great fit for the franchise. But after evaluating their trajectory, the Commanders' general manager Daryl Johnston decided to waive their rights to Manziel to not disrupt the chemistry of his Western Conference-leading team. The Memphis Express, on the other hand, are struggling with a 1-5 record.
"One of the most important things I have already learned is when there is an opportunity to get better ... you get better," Johnston said. "The challenge is finding the balance in what I know and what I have learned and finding the best solution to get better as a team. I truly believe that the moves necessary to add Johnny to our roster do not make us better at this time."
Manziel likely signed a standard AAF contract, which consists of a three-year, $250,000 payout with the ability to earn incentives. The Heisman winner will join former NFL first-rounder Trent Richardson as one of the biggest names in the AAF.
