Emmitt Smith on Johnny Manziel’s lifestyle: Will be a short career

Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel is back in the headlines for the wrong reasons after he was photographed drinking out of a champagne bottle at a bar watching the United States play Portugal in the World Cup.

More from Cleveland Browns

• Browns release 2022 draft pick after allegations he threatened a woman
• Browns wave white flag against the Steelers months ahead of time
• NFL Power Rankings: Who is the best quarterback in each division?
• NFL Power Rankings: Which teams will have the best rushing attacks this season?
• NFL rumors: DeAndre Hopkins reunion with former quarterback off the table

You know, what every other American did during the game, well minus the champagne bottle.

It comes on the heel of Manziel being photographed at a pool with a bunch of attractive women during Memorial Day, which caused an uproar. Again, the same thing most people in their early-20s were doing over the holiday weekend.

During a radio interview, Dallas Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith, the NFL’s all-time leading rusher, weighed in on Manziel’s lifestyle and had some harsh words.

“That lifestyle is going to be a short lifestyle — a short career lifestyle — if he continues that,” Smith said during an interview with 105.3 The Fan. “As we used to say, you can’t keep burning the candle at both ends of the stick. The candle gets small fairly quick. Johnny is going to have to figure it out.

“Hopefully he’s not doing anything to hurt himself outside of drinking — which is going to harm his body and harm his performance anyway. At the end of the day, he’s going to have to learn to manage those things.”

At least Smith is taking the approach of the alcohol consumption being bad for an athlete, as opposed the usual direction the criticism comes. There are risks of injury and alcohol is not good for the body to consume.

Smith goes on to say that the repeated negative press from every outing could weigh on him eventually.

“First, let’s recognize — Johnny is young. I was young and dumb myself at one point in time,” Smith said. “But maturity itself, and maturing as a professional athlete, is something that is required of every pro football player. I think right now Johnny Manziel is going to get a glimpse of what negative press can do for you. A lot of people think negative press is good press — or any press is good press. It’s not.”