It's been almost exactly five years since the last time Johnny Manziel took the field in an NFL game. It was a forgettable finale — 13-32 for 136 yards, no touchdowns and an interception in a loss to the Chiefs — in a disappointing career for the 2014 first-round pick. He's also had stints in the Canadian Football League and the Alliance of American Football, neither of which were entirely fruitful ventures.
But 2021 will present a chance for Johnny Football to redeem himself, and instead of needing to impress coaches to keep his job, he'll need to impress us, the fans.
Fan Controlled Football is a new league that's set to kick off in February, where 7-on-7 games are largely determined by the fans. Viewers will call the plays, determine the rosters and coaching staffs, implement their own creativity on the brand of the teams, decide league rules and more. For instance, FCF has already set up a vote in which fans choose whether one or two feet will need to be in bounds in order for a catch to be ruled complete. There are four teams, each run by a unique ownership group:
Glacier Boyz: Rapper Quavo, NFL cornerback Richard Sherman and YouTuber Deestroying
Zappers: Bob Menery — if you've ever listened to his podcasts, you'll understand why that team name makes perfect sense — and MLB pitcher Trevor May
Beasts: Former NFL running back Marshawn Lynch and AEW wrestler Miro — Mike Tyson no longer listed on website
Wild Aces: Internet personality and gamer Greg Miller and NFL running back Austin Ekeler
One of these four FCF teams was lucky enough to land Manziel as their signal-caller, as he told Kevin Seifert of ESPN that he's ready to embark on a new gridiron adventure.
"The more I heard about what this was going to be, the more I felt it was going to be something that was just very fun," Manziel said. "It's going to be very fan-oriented and something I could get behind without being extremely, extremely, extremely serious, the way that my football career has been in the past."
That team, according to FCF's official website, is Menery's Zappers, and the two should form a heck of a duo. Anyone who is familiar with Menery's hilariously NSFW announcing and other comedic videos knows that we're in for a treat with him at the helm of the franchise.
“We could not be more excited to have Johnny Manziel join the FCF,” said Sohrob Farudi, FCF Co-Founder and CEO. “To have one of the most talented and exciting players in the history of college football is a historic moment for the FCF, and for our fans who will have the opportunity to call the plays for Manziel.”
Manziel and Menery are friends, according to Seifert, and the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner is excited to have a chance to play a brand of football that fits his personality.
"This has a lot of potential to just be a good time and still be football-centric," Manziel said. "They're going to let the people [who] join this league be who they are and have fun with it and be a little bit more free than what football is sometimes. That's definitely what appealed to me. They don't want me to change who I am or anything else."
Whether or not the subsequent product is good, watchable football, I'm still looking forward to the experimental format. And with the ability to control the play-calling — especially after I had to sit through a frustrating season for my own favorite football team, though I'm not going to mention any names — this is an experience worth tuning in for.
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