Report: Johnny Manziel a top target for Vince McMahon’s new football league

Vince McMahon and his investment company have teased a big sports announcement that is coming on Thursday afternoon, and it has been widely reported that the WWE founder is launching his own professional football league again. Though it could be a while before actual games are played, McMahon and his people apparently want Johnny Manziel to be involved.

Former Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter and current wrestling podcast host Glenn Moore was told by a source that Manziel will be a “No. 1 target” for McMahon’s new league when it opens for business.

Vince McMahon is going to announce new football league, which will start in 2020. I was told Johnny Manziel will be a No. 1 target for new league.

— Glenn Moore (@GlennMooreCLE) January 25, 2018

As Moore noted, McMahon isn’t expected to rush into things this time around. While the first XFL game was played not long after the league was announced back in 2001, it could be at least two years before we see any actual games with McMahon’s newest venture.

From a timing standpoint, the stars could align for Manziel to join the new XFL (or whatever it’s going to be called). The 25-year-old quarterback is currently negotiating a contract with a CFL team, and he could spend two years in Canada before returning to the United States to play professionally again. Of course, Manziel’s ultimate goal would probably be to sign with another NFL team, but the chances of that happening seem slim.

We all know about Manziel’s long history with drug and alcohol abuse, but the former Texas A&M star insists he is clean now. If that’s true and he’s in football shape, it sounds like more than one opportunity awaits.