Johnny Manziel released from Montreal Alouettes, ousted from CFL

Former NFL quarterback Johnny Manziel’s Canadian Football League career came to a quicker ending than expected.

26-year-old Manziel, who was taken as the 22nd pick by the Cleveland Browns in 2014, was released earlier this week by the Montreal Alouettes.

The team cited contract violations made by Manziel as the root of its decision. In turn, the CFL decided to completely terminate Manziel, making the quarterback ineligible from playing for any one of its eight teams.

Details of Manziel’s banishment

Little is known so far surrounding Manziel’s release. CFL officials remain hesitant to divulge the details of Manziel’s termination. The CFL described the contractual terms Manziel violated as “extensive and exacting”.

After news broke, Manziel expressed his gratitude for his time spent with the CFL in a tweet, noting he looked forward to “exploring new options”.

I want to thank Coach Sherman, my teammates, and the CFL fans. My time there reestablished my love for the game of football and the work that goes into it. I look forward to exploring new options within the United States.

— Johnny Manziel (@JManziel2) February 27, 2019

Manziel’s CFL career

The 2012 Heisman Trophy winner spent two seasons in the CFL. His first stint was with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, where he spent six weeks benched with no playing time. The Tiger-Cats then traded Manziel to the Montreal Alouettes in a package deal, where the Alouettes gave up two players and two first-round picks in exchange for Manziel’s rights.

It was Montreal where Manziel would adapt into an official role on the field, eventually becoming a starting quarterback. Manziel threw for 1,290 yards and completed 64 percent of his passes in eight games. But he’d only throw for five touchdowns and seven interceptions.

A poor NFL start led Manziel to the CFL. He played in 14 games for the Browns in the span of two seasons, making 57 percent of his passes, paired with 1,675 yards. He threw for seven touchdowns and seven interceptions.

He evolved into the Browns starting quarterback but carried the team to a disastrous 2-6 record as the starter. As a result, the Browns released Manziel in March 2016.