Alouettes release Manziel due to breach of agreement
The CFL has directed the Montreal Alouettes to release quarterback Johnny Manziel after it was found he violated the agreement which made him eligible to play in the league.
"We are disappointed by this turn of events. Johnny was provided a great deal of support by our organization, in collaboration with the CFL, but he has been unable to abide by the terms of his agreement," general manager Kavis Reed said in a statement. "We worked with the league and presented alternatives to Johnny, who was unwilling to proceed."
The league has informed all other teams that it will not register a contract for Manziel should any club attempt to sign him, ending the quarterback's time north of the border.
Manziel thanked head coach Mike Sherman after the news broke and expressed interest in continuing his football career.
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
Speaking during the Feb. 12 episode of Barstool Sports' "Comeback SZN" podcast, Manziel - still with Montreal at this point - spoke about the newly formed Alliance of American Football league.
"(The AAF) is great for football, it's great for the guys who need more opportunity, need more film and time to play. I don't know exactly what my exact steps will be for the next years coming up, but at least there's a lot of options. Me and E.B. (agent Erik Burkhardt) are fully committed to playing ball and trying to get into the best situation possible and that's what it's all about."
Manziel signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in May 2018 and was traded to the Alouettes in July.
The quarterback played eight games during his lone CFL campaign, completing 106 of 165 pass attempts for 1,290 yards, five touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He was expected to compete with Antonio Pipkin and Vernon Adams Jr. for the starting role in 2019.
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