If things go as planned in the Arena Football League, Johnny Manziel will be dusting off his cleats when the new season begins.
AFL Commissioner Lee Hutton III told TMZ Sports he sent a direct message to Manziel to gauge interest in joining the league.
“I reached out to Johnny Manziel,” Hatton said. “So, Johnny, I'm a Texas guy. So if you're ready to come back and go back indoors, we'll get you in because you've done so well. For you. Find a place in.”
The third edition of the AFL is scheduled to be launched in April. The league most recently played a season in 2019, then ceased all operations after filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
F1 Sports & Entertainment purchased the rights to AFL in January 2022. A year later, the league announced a restart with plans to officially begin play in 2024.
The original AFL lasted 22 seasons from 1987 to 2008, but was disbanded in 2009 due to financial and leadership issues.
A total of 16 teams will participate in the new Arena Football League. This is the highest number since 2012, when there were 17 teams in the league.
Manziel most recently played in the Fan Controlled Football League in 2022. He also played in the Canadian Football League and the Alliance of American Football after his NFL career ended.
Manziel, 31, was a superstar at Texas A&M University. He won the Heisman Trophy in his 2012 year, becoming the second Aggies player in history to win this honor.
Manziel was a first-round draft pick by the Cleveland Browns in 2014. His NFL career lasted just two seasons before being released by the club in March 2016.
The 2024 AFL season begins on April 27th.
