Johnny Manziel is coming clean about his past.
Eight years after the NCAA said it found no evidence of Manziel receiving payment for signing autographs, following a 2013 investigation, he confirmed it to be true — and he apparently made at least $33,000.
Manziel, while on Barstool Sports’ “Bussin’ With The Boys” podcast, said he was approached, prior to playing the 2013 season with Texas A&M, by a “guy” who asked if he’d like to make $3,000.
“I may or may not have gone back to this guy’s condo [in South Beach] and signed probably 10,000 pieces,” Manziel said.
In return, “He gave me three grand.”
Manziel recalled having $65 in his bank account at the time.
“We’re doing it all sneaky, we don’t want to get caught, we’re trying to learn from everybody else who’s got caught,” he said.
While signing autographs at the man’s condo, Manziel said he was approached by another guy who told him he was “getting f–king ripped off.” The guy then passed him the phone number of another man he said would pay Manziel $30,000 for signing autographs.
Manziel went ahead and contacted the unnamed man.
“So, this guy’s pretty much, ‘All right, go to this room at the Fontainebleau [hotel]. All this stuff will be in there laid out. When you’re done, just send me a picture of all of it. I’ll give you the code to the safe, the money will be in there,'” he recalled.
Manziel, who ended up making “a decent living” at Texas A&M, sent an unapologetic message to the NCAA:
“We went 9-4 the next year, so if the NCAA wants to take my f–king 9-4 season away, my Chick-Fil-A Bowl against Duke, f–king blow me.”
And, Manziel isn’t worried about any speculation that his Heisman Trophy, which he won in 2012, could be revoked due to the new admission.
“I never took a dollar until after I won the Heisman, and I think my statute of limitations are up,” he said, telling the NCAA once more, “So, you can blow me again!”
The NCAA’s investigation occurred in August 2013, ahead of Manziel’s sophomore season at Texas A&M, according to ESPN. Despite finding no evidence that Manziel was signing autographs for money at the time, he was suspended for the first half of Texas A&M’s 2013 season opener.
The former college star quarterback was selected with the 22nd overall pick by the Browns in the 2014 NFL Draft. He didn’t have much luck in the league and was waived by the Browns in March 2016.