XFL, Johnny Manziel need each other

[Chomps]

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Johnny Manziel’s Friday night mini-tweetstorm suggests that there’s more to the story regarding his lack of a contract to play football with the XFL. Maybe the XFL is leery about him, given his history. Maybe the XFL is miffed that he opted to play for the AAF last year instead of waiting for the XFL. Maybe the XFL didn’t offer him enough money to play.

Regardless, Manziel’s characterization of the XFL misses the mark. It won’t be folding during its first season. Whether it lasts beyond, say, two seasons may be a legitimate question, but the XFL is not the AAF.

The XFL has money, unlike the AAF which merely tried to make everyone think it had money. The XFL has two legitimate TV deals. The initial burst of interest that the XFL will attract should last, at least until March Madness arrives.

And what other options does Manziel have, if as he claims “ComebackSZN” still continues? It’s been more than four years since he played in the NFL, and no team has shown any interest in giving him another chance. The CFL (a league that didn’t fold while he was playing there) basically kicked him out, too.

It feels like Manziel isn’t in the XFL because the XFL doesn’t want him or doesn’t want to pay him. But the XFL needs Manziel, and Manziel needs the XFL.

Manziel will drive interest. He always does. His CFL games set ESPN ratings records for the Canadian league, and his midseason signing with the AAF gave the upstart league a boost just before the plug got pulled. If Manziel, who should be entering the front end of his NFL prime, truly believes he’s good enough to play at the highest level of the sport, he should embrace any opportunity that comes his way.

So Manziel should want the XFL, and the XFL should want Manziel. The mere fact that the XFL hasn’t worked it out to get Manziel justifies skepticism as to whether the XFL will be as significant as it could be.