Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel gets vulnerable, candid in new Netflix documentary

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) – Johnny Manziel, the former Texas A&M football standout and Heisman trophy winner, is finally ready to put his larger-than-life Johnny Football persona away in a new documentary that hit Netflix on Tuesday. Untold; Johnny Football traces the meteoric rise and precipitous downfall of the Aggie quarterback. Manziel is a controversial and polarizing figure, but director Ryan Duffy was not afraid of that aspect of Manziel’s story.

“I think controversy is part of the Johnny Manziel story, for better or for worse,” said Duffy.

Within the two seasons Manziel played at A&M, he was not a stranger to the spotlight. But as pieces of his life played out for the world to see, Duffy said there was even more going on behind the scenes.

“Fascination was playing out on a national stage, so I think our job was to dig a little bit deeper to grab that stuff for sure, but to dig a little bit deeper and be able to really show to audiences that they are seeing something that perhaps is a little bit more intimate, a little bit more candid, a little bit more personal than they may have seen before and tell the full scope of this,” Duffy said.

And candid he was. Manziel talked about not only his journey with football, but his journey with mental health, even delving into his suicide attempt in 2016 after the Cleveland Browns cut him from the team.

Duffy says Manziel’s vulnerability on camera was a surprise, but authentic, letting the viewers into his highest highs and lowest lows.

“Honestly, it sounds like I’m just kind of endlessly complimenting the guy, but his honesty and candor was surprising. Anytime anyone kind of goes fully transparent, it’s a little bit of a surprise just because I think as humans we’re a little bit wary of that for someone like Johnny, who really was, you know, put through the ringer. Not without making mistakes of his own, but in terms of the national media spotlight, to be able to be that open and transparent I think I was really impressed by it.”

While Manziel might be over Johnny Football, Duffy says he’s left a lasting legacy.

“The legend of Johnny Football endures and and fascination with Johnny and his story is as white hot today as it was in 2012 down there in College Station,” said Duffy.

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.