Vince McMahon says Johnny Manziel won’t play in XFL

Former NFL quarterback Johnny Manziel is expressing his interest in playing for the relaunched XFL over his Twitter account.

Manziel has not been in the NFL since finishing up his second season with the Cleveland Browns back in 2015. The former Heisman Trophy winner and Texas A&M star has been on the outs over the past two years, trying to clean up his life.

Now, with Vince McMahon getting the XFL up and running once more — with a focus to start play in 2020 — Manziel believed he had another opportunity to get into pro football.

Unfortunately for Manziel, he won’t be getting that chance because of his history.

“You want someone who doesn’t have anything criminally associated with them,” McMahon said in a conference call with national media. “…If you have a DUI, you will not be playing in the XFL.”

Manziel is disqualified from playing in the league because of his lengthy rap sheet, which includes spending a night in jail after being arrested in 2012 down in College Station. In 2016, Manziel was charged with misdemeanor assault against his now ex-girlfriend Colleen Crowley, with the case ended up in a plea agreement.

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With McMahon saying that high character is just as important as the talent level in the XFL, it’s impossible to see Manziel getting a chance. Also, the league isn’t slated to start play until 2020, which means that should Manziel not get another chance before then, he would have sat inactive for more than four seasons.

Although Manziel is only 25 years old, it appears his days of playing in any professional football league are over.