Johnny Manziel has been in rehab during his playing career, so it’s no surprise to hear that he has used various drugs in addition to his alcohol abuse. But the extent to which he used drugs even during his time as a star at Texas A&M is somewhat surprising.
Vanity Fair has a lengthy feature on Manziel for its November issue titled, “The Fight to Save Johnny Manziel from All-Out Self-Destruction.” The feature details Manziel’s drug use going back to college and how it left Manziel’s parents and one friend concerned.
Vanity Fair says Manziel lived in a home off-campus with friends after his second year at A&M, and they say plenty of drugs were used at the home. They say “marijuana was in regular use at the house, as was the prescription tranquilizer Xanax, a popular party drug often ground up, snorted, and chased with alcohol; MDMA, known as ‘Molly,’ a form of Ecstasy; and, occasionally, cocaine.”
Manziel’s parents apparently were told about what was going on and grew concerned, with Manziel’s mom coming to the house and moving him out in a matter of hours. The partying and drugs apparently only got worse after Manziel won the Heisman, which led to all the reports that Manziel would leave for the NFL as soon as he was eligible to do so.
In addition to the drugs used at the home, the Vanity Fair piece shed some light on the infamous shirtless mug shot from Manziel’s arrest during his first year on campus. Manziel’s friend, Steven Brant, who was with him that night explained the circumstances.
“I was so blackout drunk, I don’t remember what happened. Neither of us do,” Brant told Vanity Fair. “I woke up in a cell. Johnny was on the ground, losing his s—, throwing up all over himself. That’s why he isn’t wearing a shirt in the mug shot. I asked this cop, you know, ‘What is the actual case? What did we do?’ [He said], ‘Well, you called this black guy the n-word.’ [I said], ‘I did? And that’s illegal?’ Yeah, that was all me.”
While Brant was painted as Manziel’s partner in crime with drug use, the quarterback’s other friend and former manager, Nate Fitch, was described as the guy who tried to get Manziel on a better path. Fitch was Manziel’s longtime friend and began assuming a role as his business manager, and he was trying to deter the drug use, but Manziel would not listen.
The feature additionally shared some details on the infamous fight between Manziel and his ex-girlfriend Colleen Crowley, which led to Manziel’s arrest. Apparently the two began arguing over another woman. Manziel, who ruptured Crowley’s ear drum during the fight, only left her home on foot after she pulled out a kitchen knife.
Manziel was released by the Browns and dropped by two agents this year. He is back at Texas A&M trying to complete his degree.
