Former Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel is appreciative of the support he received from fans ahead of Tuesday’s launch of his new Netflix documentary, “Untold: Johnny Football.”
The former Heisman Trophy winner — whose two-season NFL career tanked in part due to scandals and hard-partying habits — revealed in the film how he purchased a gun with the intention to take his own life following his release from the Cleveland Browns in 2016.
In a message shared Monday with his 1.8 million Twitter followers, Manziel said he “can’t wait for you guys to see this” and added, “Appreciate all the support!”
Manziel, a first-round pick by the Browns in 2014, entered rehab in February 2015 while still a member of the team.
He was released by the Browns in March 2016 after playing 14 games in two seasons.
“I was just running from problems,” Manziel says in the Netflix film. “Direct self-sabotage, trying to burn this thing down. I had planned to do everything I wanted to do at that point in my life. Spend as much money as I possibly could, and then my plan was to take my life.
“Months prior, went and bought a gun that I knew I was gonna use. I wanted it to get as bad as humanly possible to where it made sense, and it made it seem like an excuse and an out for me.”
Manziel, who has been open about his struggles with substance abuse, explained how the firearm malfunctioned.
“Still, to this day, I don’t know what happened, but the gun just clicked on me,” he says.
Manziel revealed in 2018 he had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
“Untold: Johnny Football” chronicles Manziel’s rapid rise to stardom during a historic season at Texas A&M in 2012, when he became the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy.
His excessive partying included “a $5 million bender” and lavish trips to Miami, all the while rubbing shoulders with celebrities such as Drake, Rick Ross and LeBron James.
Manziel also ran a lucrative memorabilia-signing business that earned him thousands of dollars.
That came before the NCAA’s 2021 ruling that athletes could now profit from their name, image and likeness (NIL).
“I was 19-year-old with a hundred grand stuffed under his bed,” he says in the Netflix film.
“When I got everything that I wanted, I think I was the most empty I’ve ever felt inside.”
Manziel now resides in Dallas and is looking forward to putting his football days behind him.
The former Aggies star is set to open a bar and nightclub called Johnny’s Money Bar in College Station this fall.
“Untold: Johnny Football” is now steaming on Netflix.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.