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Johnny Manziel took the college football world by storm during his career with the Texas A&M Aggies. His electrifying play on the football field, paired with his boisterous personality, made him a fan-favorite in many circles. It also helped him to quickly emerge as one of the most polarizing quarterback prospects in the NFL draft.
While he was undersized for his position and came with some questionable behaviors off of the field, his performances and star power resulted in him being selected by the Cleveland Browns in the first round. Sports media personality Skip Bayless was one of his biggest public supporters at the time, consistently hyping up his outlook on his shows.
In fact, Bayless once claimed that Johnny Manziel had the potential to be a bigger hero in Cleveland, Ohio, than legendary NBA star LeBron James, who is from Akron.
It didn't work out that way for 2012 Heisman Trophy winner Manziel, who ended up being a bust in the NFL, so Bayless felt it necessary to issue an apology to the former quarterback. He did so when interviewing him on a recent episode of "Undisputed."
"You said, 'Let's wreck the league.' And I thought, 'Yeah, that's what he's about to do,'" Bayless said. "So silly me, I went so far as to say you could become bigger in Cleveland, Ohio than LeBron James, because football is king in Cleveland, as you found out. Baseball is second and basketball is third.
"So I thought if Johnny does what I think Johnny is capable of doing, you can own Cleveland, Ohio, but it didn't go that way. So I guess I'm apologizing to you. I hope I didn't increase the expectations to extraordinary levels that you couldn't live up to."
LeBron James is a hero in Ohio for many reasons. Winning an NBA championship for the Cleveland Cavaliers in front of his hometown fans is one of them. "King James" has become one of the most accomplished basketball players, topping career stat lists in many categories. Johnny Manziel's career was the opposite of that, as he never met his expectations.
Johnny Manziel's failed attempt at being the Browns' savior
Any quarterback selected in the first round of any NFL draft comes with a certain level of expectations. In Johnny Manziel's case, his may have been even higher than most, despite being the 22nd pick in the 2014 draft by the Cleveland Browns. Some believed, including Skip Bayless, that he could finally be the one to bring a long-awaited Super Bowl ring to the city.
Let alone reaching that elite level of success, Manziel lasted just seasons with the Browns before his career came to a halt. He started eight games, posted a disappointing 2-6 record and threw seven interceptions. He admittedly had a history of substance abuse and mental health issues, which may have contributed to his failed NFL career and numerous off-the-field conflicts.
