Johnny Manziel Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What Is Johnny Manziel’s Net Worth and Career Earnings?

Johnny Manziel, a retired American football player, currently has a net worth estimated at $1 million. He gained notable recognition after winning the Heisman Trophy while playing for Texas A&M, famously becoming the first freshman in history to do so. Following this achievement, he entered the 2014 NFL draft, with expectations of being a top pick, potentially even the first overall. Unfortunately, rumors surrounding his personal issues caused his draft stock to drop significantly. Eventually, he was selected as the #22 pick by the Cleveland Browns after making a direct call to the team’s quarterbacks coach to express his dedication.

His professional career was overshadowed by various off-field challenges, notably including issues related to alcohol and partying, which ultimately led to his suspension from the NFL due to a breach of the league’s substance abuse policy.

Manziel played in the NFL between 2014 and 2015, with his entire tenure spent at the Cleveland Browns. Post-NFL, he had a brief stint with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Montreal Alouettes in the CFL.

As outlined in the following section, most conservative projections indicated that Johnny’s earnings potential from both salary and endorsements could have been approximately $100 million. However, he only amassed $7.7 million in salary and an estimated $10 million from endorsements, with a significant portion stemming from a contract with Nike that was ultimately terminated.

In a 2023 Netflix documentary, Johnny mentioned that he had engaged in a $5 million “bender” during his most turbulent times.

Contracts & Career Earnings

Originally, Johnny was forecasted to earn upwards of $100 million in salary and endorsements if he maintained even a moderate performance over an average NFL career span. In reality, he made only $7.7 million in salary and around $10 million from endorsements, summing up to total pre-tax career earnings of $18 million.

His initial NFL contract consisted of a four-year deal worth $8.25 million with the Browns, which included a signing bonus of $4.3 million.

In his rookie year, which was marked by salary, signing bonuses, and endorsements, Johnny Manziel garnered $7 million. During that season, he recorded a total of 175 passing yards without a touchdown, alongside one rushing touchdown. On March 11, 2016, the Cleveland Browns released Johnny after compensating him with $7,707,913 in salary. Throughout his time with the team, Manziel threw for seven touchdowns while also recording seven interceptions.

The $7,707,913 he received turned out to be his cumulative earnings throughout his NFL career.

As previously mentioned, in a 2023 Netflix documentary, Johnny admitted to going on a $5 million “bender” during and shortly after his NFL years. He was likely compensated a substantial amount, either in the high six figures or the lower seven-figure range, to feature in the Netflix documentary.

Family Wealth

As Johnny started gaining fame as a college athlete, rumors circulated claiming he came from a vast oil fortune. However, it turns out that this story was largely exaggerated. In his 2023 Netflix documentary, Johnny revealed that he inflated his family’s wealth to rationalize the money he earned from autograph sales, which was against NCAA regulations at that time.

Nonetheless, it remains true that there is oil money in his family heritage.

Johnny’s great-great-grandfather, Joe Manziel, immigrated to the United States from Syria in 1907.

His great-grandfather, Bobby Joe, struck oil in Texas in 1930 after experiencing multiple failures while drilling wells. This successful well multiplied into several others, providing Bobby Joe with a lucrative income, sufficient enough to finance “The Oil Palace,” a music venue in Tyler, Texas, with a capacity of 7,000. Initially, Bobby Joe had envisioned this Palace as a boxing venue.

He passed away in 1956, resulting in a nearly 30-year pause in construction. Ultimately, it was finalized and inaugurated in 1983.

Bobby Joe’s son, named Bobby Joe Jr., faced arrest in 1975 on charges related to conspiracy linked to a murder that year. Although the murder charges were dismissed, he was convicted for trafficking cocaine. Bobby Joe Jr. managed The Oil Palace until he passed away in 2022.

Johnny’s parents lead a very humble and ordinary life. At the time of Johnny’s birth, they were bartenders. Johnny’s father, Paul, dedicated most of his career to being a car salesman, overseeing a Honda dealership situated three hours from their residence. For many years, he reportedly returned home only on weekends. Johnny grew up in a typical household in Tyler, Texas, which today is valued at approximately $700,000. His parents continue to own and reside in that home.

In October 2015, a mysterious fire completely destroyed a $400,000 lake house that belonged to Johnny’s grandfather, Paul Manziel Sr.

Endorsements

During his brief stint in the NFL, Johnny earned millions from endorsements, with Nike being the most significant. He also endorsed brands such as Nissan, McDonald’s, and Panini America.

Right before he entered the NFL draft, while still anticipated to be a first-round pick with a promising career ahead, Johnny entered into a lucrative multi-year endorsement deal with Nike. Additionally, proposals from Under Armour and New Balance sought to gain Manziel’s endorsement. Regrettably, in April 2016, two years later, Johnny was released from Nike and his agents following a series of off-field controversies.

Early Life

Jonathan Paul Manziel was born on December 6, 1992, in Tyler, Texas, with Italian and Lebanese heritage. He has a younger sister named Meri. His parents are quite successful and affluent, largely due to investments in the oil and natural gas sector.

Johnny Manziel’s parents, Paul and Michelle Manziel, are oil magnates estimated to be worth tens of millions, potentially between $50-100 million. Paul and Michelle first met while working as bartenders; she transitioned to a career in real estate, while he went on to build homes and sell vehicles. In truth, their family’s wealth stems from Bobby Joe Manziel, Johnny’s great-grandfather, who struck oil after relocating to Texas in the 1930s.

Growing up, Johnny participated in various sports, such as football, basketball, baseball, and golf, but eventually chose to concentrate on football and baseball during his time at Tivy High School in Kerrville, Texas.

In his initial high school football season, he began his career as a receiver, only transitioning to quarterback midway through his sophomore year. As a quarterback, he captured attention with his remarkable statistics; during his senior year, he achieved a passing rate of 65.7%, with 3,609 passing yards, 45 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. Notable accolades he earned include being recognized as the San Antonio Express-News Offensive Player of the Year (twice), the National High School Coaches Association Senior Athlete of the Year in Football, and being named a “Parade” All-American.

Numerous schools pursued him, including Baylor, Colorado State, Iowa State, Louisiana Tech, Oregon Rice, Stanford, Tulsa, and Texas A&M.

College Career

Choosing to attend Texas A&M, Johnny earned an academic scholarship. Following the exit of Ryan Tannehill to the NFL after the 2011 season, Texas A&M had a vacancy to fill at quarterback. Manziel outshined both Jameill Showers and Matt Joeckel, securing the starting quarterback position. His performance drew attention when he shattered Archie Manning’s 43-year-old total offense record during a match against Arkansas, and he maintained a strong performance throughout the season. After guiding Texas A&M to a win over the top-ranked Alabama, he began to appear on Heisman Watch lists. He made history by being the first freshman (and only the fifth player in history) in NCAA to throw for 3,000 yards and run for 1,000 in a single season. He further made headlines as the first freshman to receive the Davey O’Brien Award and the Heisman Trophy. In his sophomore year at Texas A&M, he finished fifth in the 2013 Heisman Trophy voting.

Professional Career

Deciding to leave college football, Manziel chose to forgo his junior season at Texas A&M to enter the 2014 NFL Draft. While he was projected to be a first-round pick, there were lingering concerns about his attitude, causing hesitation among many teams. On draft day, 21 teams, including the Cleveland Browns, passed on Manziel. However, a text he sent to Browns quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains ultimately persuaded head coach Mike Pettine to select him as the 22^nd overall pick.

His stay with the Browns lasted just two seasons, marred by challenges. In his rookie year (2014), he faced a $12,000 fine from the NFL for an inappropriate hand gesture during a preseason loss to the Washington Redskins, which resulted in Brian Hoyer being named the starting quarterback for the first regular-season game. In the 2015 season, Manziel’s position was demoted to third-string quarterback following the surfacing of videos depicting his partying lifestyle. On March 11, 2016, the Cleveland Browns released Manziel, having paid him $7,707,913 in salary. While a member of the team, he recorded seven touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Following this, he spent two years away from football largely due to ongoing contract discussions, eventually making a return in 2018 when he signed a two-year contract with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Canadian Football League (CFL). However, after just six weeks, he found himself traded to the Montreal Alouettes in July 2018. Ultimately, the CFL severed ties with Manziel, leading to his release by the Alouettes at the behest of league officials.

In an effort to re-enter professional football, Manziel joined the newly formed Alliance of American Football (AAF) in March 2019, where he was assigned to the Memphis Express team. However, the…In April 2019, the league filed for bankruptcy without having finished a single season. Currently, Manziel plays for the FCF Zappers in the Fan-Controlled Football indoor league.

Personal Life and Controversies

In March 2017, Manziel got engaged to Bre Tiesi, and they tied the knot in March 2018. Sadly, their marriage lasted only a year before they separated. Bre Tiesi welcomed a child with Nick Cannon in June 2021, and in 2023, she became part of the reality show “Selling Sunset.”

Despite being a skilled athlete, Manziel’s career was tarnished by numerous controversies and legal issues. His first arrest occurred in June 2012, prior to his debut in college football. He reportedly got involved in an altercation while trying to assist a friend and ended up presenting a fake ID to law enforcement afterwards. Nevertheless, he was appointed the starting quarterback at Texas A&M University.

His problematic behavior persisted throughout his college years and into his professional career, attracting considerable media scrutiny. Noteworthy incidents include being expelled from a University of Texas fraternity bash, facing an NCAA probe for allegedly accepting payments for autographs (he was ultimately acquitted), being pulled over following a dispute with then-girlfriend Colleen Crowley in their vehicle, and an investigation by the Dallas Police Department in 2016 due to domestic violence allegations from Crowley (which led to his indictment on misdemeanor assault charges). His off-field conduct had significant consequences, resulting in the Cleveland Browns severing ties with him, losing his sponsorship deal with Nike, and experiencing the termination of his contracts with two different agents.

Blaming the Browns

Manziel expressed during a 2018 appearance on “The Dan Patrick Show” that he holds his former team accountable for failing to recognize his weaknesses, particularly regarding his motivation and work ethic.

“If Cleveland did any of their homework, they would have known I wasn’t a guy who came in every day and watched film,” Manziel stated on the show. “I wasn’t a guy who really knew the X’s and O’s of football.“

Real Estate

In May 2009, Johnny acquired a home in Avon, Ohio for $400,000. He listed the property for sale in May 2016 at $489,000 and settled for $480,000 by June 2016. Currently, he resides in Scottsdale, Arizona.