“I’ll Eat You, Respectfully”: Johnny Manziel Claps Back at Criticism Following Heisman Trophy Stand for Reggie Bush

Johnny Manziel isn’t afraid to speak his mind. Reggie Bush was stripped of his Heisman trophy by the NCAA in the 2000s due to NIL offers, but the times and rules have changed. Despite the changes and Bush’s repeated petitions to reinstate his award, the NCAA seems to be turning a deaf ear to his pleas which isn’t sitting well with Manziel. 

Recently, he posted on X, “After careful thought and consideration, I will be humbly removing myself from the Heisman trophy ceremony until Reggie Bush gets his trophy back.” But now, his stand for Reggie Bush seems to be taking a whole different stand as he now gets into a “relevancy” squabble himself. Just as he slams the NCAA for taking what rightfully belongs to Bush, he has now found somewhere to throw his frustration at.

Johnny Manziel delivers a piece of his mind to his critic

Johnny Manziel’s post on X has received a lot of traction, inviting some criticism as well. The hot exchange between the two began when PMTATHLETES, an IG platform featuring motivational quotes for athletes, made a dig at Manziel’s post, writing, “AT THAT PARTICULAR MOMENT…. He BROKE the rules…… I know you’re saying what you’re saying Johnny because you wanna stay relevant.” 

A Heisman Trophy winner himself, Manziel isn’t going to let the comment bring him down and he went as far as to say that he could buy his “agency” if he wanted to and turn it into a “ground for fun.” He slammed his critic on his IG story saying, “Relevancy is something that I will never have a problem with and it’s truly your only problem in life… If you come for me I’ll eat you, respectfully.” His support for Bush can truly trigger him to think about drastic decisions, directly or indirectly. 

A dive into Johnny Manziel’s life on and off the field 

Johnny Manziel aka Johnny Football was a standout Texas A&M QB who became the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy in 2012. He posted a remarkable SEC record of 4,600 yards of total offense to clinch the prestigious award. Manziel’s natural talent for football shone particularly in his game against Alabama where he led the Aggies to a 29-24 victory with 345 yards of total offense. 

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In 2014, he joined the Cleveland Browns in the NFL but his career in the pro league was short-lived because of his inconsistency and controversies off the field. He also opened up about his problems with mental health and substance abuse. Currently, he’s into business having launched Johnny Manziel’s Money Bar. He also released a Netflix documentary titled “Untold: Johnny Football” in 2023 which delves into his unspoken story of substance abuse and pro career. 

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