Johnny Football is running out of places to play.
More than four years after taking his last snap in the NFL, Johnny Manziel has been released by the Montreal Alouettes and subsequently kicked out of the Canadian Football League.
In an announcement, the Alouettes said the CFL instructed the club to terminate Manziel’s deal because he “contravened the agreement which made him eligible to play in the league.”
Manziel, who signed a contract with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the CFL last year and then joined Montreal, is not eligible to sign with another team in the league thanks to the violation.
“We are disappointed by this turn of events. Johnny was provided a great deal of support by our organization, in collaboration with the CFL, but he has been unable to abide by the terms of his agreement,” Alouettes general manager Kavis Reed said in a statement. “We worked with the league and presented alternatives to Johnny, who was unwilling to proceed.”
Although it is unclear what exactly Manziel allegedly did to violate the agreement, it isn’t unreasonable to guess it was related to off-field issues.
During his time in the NFL, Manziel, who recently said he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, was hit with a domestic assault charge in 2016. It was dismissed after he took an anger management course and participated in the NFL’s substance abuse program.
In a statement on Twitter, Manziel thanked his coach, his teammates, and the CFL fans. “My time there reestablished my love for the game of football and the work that goes into it,” Manziel wrote. “I look forward to exploring new options within the United States.”
Drafted with the 22nd overall pick in the 2014 draft, Manziel was cut by the Cleveland Browns after just two seasons in the NFL.
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