Johnny Manziel Reveals He Attempted Suicide After Cleveland Browns Cut Him in 2016

The former Heisman Trophy winner opens up about his past on Netflix's 'Untold' docuseries.

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Johnny Manziel hit rock bottom after the Cleveland Browns cut him in 2016.

In an upcoming episode of Netflix's Untold documentary series, the former Heisman Trophy winner reveals he attempted suicide after the Browns released him following the 2015 NFL season.

At the time, Manziel says he was using cocaine and OxyContin, and had also been recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder. After going on a "$5 million bender" following his release in March 2016, Manziel—who "had bought a gun that I knew I was going to use"—planned on taking his life.

“I had planned to do everything I wanted to do at that point in my life, spend as much money as I possibly could, and then my plan was to take my life,” Manziel said in his episode. "I wanted to get as bad as humanly possible to where it made sense, and it made it seem like an excuse and an out for me.”

Johnny subsequently detailed how the gun malfunctioned when he tried to pull the trigger.

“Still to this day, don’t know what happened, but the gun just clicked on me," he said. "I couldn’t fix what I had done with...the NFL, with A&M, everything. At that point in time I didn't have that much of a relationship with my family. The ride was over.”

Jake Paul. Johnny Football. Hall of Shame. Swamp Kings.

You think you know these stories, but you don't. Netflix Sports Series UNTOLD Volume 3 returns August 1 pic.twitter.com/IR1RzJF3NO

— Netflix (@netflix) July 18, 2023

Untold: Johnny Football, which hits Netflix Aug. 8, will detail Manziel's rise from a Heisman-winning quarterback at Texas A&M in 2012 to being drafted by the Browns in 2014 with the No. 22 overall pick in the NFL Draft, en route to his tragic downfall.

Check out the short trailer for Manziel's episode of Untold in the tweet above.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, help is available through the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

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