Johnny Manziel Net Worth (Money & Salary)

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

Retired American football player Johnny Manziel possesses a net worth of $1 million. He made history by winning the Heisman Trophy at Texas A&M, being the first freshman to achieve this honor, before entering the 2014 NFL draft. As a Heisman recipient, he was expected to be among the top picks, possibly even the #1 pick. Unfortunately, allegations regarding his personal issues led to a significant drop in his draft position. Eventually, the Cleveland Browns selected him as the #22 pick, following a persuasive call he made to the team’s quarterbacks coach to express his dedication.

Manziel’s career was plagued with off-field challenges, including issues with alcohol and a party lifestyle. Additionally, he faced suspension from the NFL due to breaches of the league’s substance abuse policy.

His NFL career spanned from 2014 to 2015, with him playing solely for the Cleveland Browns. After his NFL stint, he had a short tenure with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Montreal Alouettes in the CFL.

Most conservative estimates in the next section suggest that Johnny’s potential future earnings, inclusive of salaries and endorsements, were around $100 million. Ultimately, he garnered $7.7 million from salary and about $10 million from endorsements, with a significant share coming from a Nike contract that was eventually terminated.

In a Netflix documentary released in 2023, Johnny admitted to spending $5 million during a “bender” in his most controversial phase.

Contracts & Career Earnings

It was anticipated that Johnny would accumulate over $100 million in earnings through salary and endorsements if he performed reasonably well throughout an average NFL career. Instead, he earned a total of $18 million before taxes, which includes $7.7 million from salary and approximately $10 million from endorsements.

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

Combining his salary, signing bonus, and endorsements, Johnny Manziel earned $7 million in his rookie season. Throughout that year, he recorded 175 passing yards without any passing touchdowns but did achieve one rushing touchdown. On March 11, 2016, the Cleveland Browns released Johnny after paying him $7,707,913 in salary. During his time on the team, he managed a touchdown and interception tally of seven each.

That $7,707,913 figure marked the entirety of his earnings from the NFL career.

As we mentioned earlier, in the 2023 Netflix documentary, Johnny stated that he went through a $5 million “bender” during and right after those NFL years. It is quite probable that he received a high six-figure or low seven-figure sum for his participation in the Netflix documentary.

Family Wealth

As he began to gain notoriety as a college athlete, rumors circulated that Johnny hailed from a substantial oil fortune. However, most of those claims were greatly exaggerated. In his 2023 Netflix documentary, Johnny clarified that he overstated his family wealth to mask the income he was generating from autograph sales, which were against NCAA regulations at the time.

Nevertheless, it is indeed accurate that there is oil wealth in Johnny’s family history.

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

In 1930, Johnny’s great-grandfather, Bobby Joe, struck oil in Texas after unsuccessfully drilling many wells. His successful venture led to multiple wells and provided Bobby Joe with a substantial income…adequate enough to finance what is now known as “The Oil Palace,” a music venue in Tyler, Texas that can host 7,000 attendees. Bobby Joe initially dreamed of transforming the venue into a boxing arena.

He passed away in 1956, leading to a nearly 30-year halt in construction. Ultimately, it was completed and inaugurated in 1983.

Bobby Joe’s son, Bobby Joe Jr., after whom he was named, faced arrest in 1975, accused of conspiracy related to a murder that occurred that same year. Although the murder charges were dropped, he was found guilty of cocaine trafficking. Bobby Joe Jr. managed The Oil Palace until he passed away in 2022.

Johnny’s parents are quite ordinary and unassuming individuals. They worked as bartenders at the time of Johnny’s birth. His father, Paul, dedicated much of his career to car sales, managing a Honda dealership located three hours away from their residence, reportedly only returning home on weekends for several years. Growing up, Johnny spent his childhood in an average home in Tyler, Texas, presently valued at approximately $700,000. His parents continue to own and reside in this home.

A lake house owned by Johnny’s grandfather, Paul Manziel Sr., mysteriously burned to the ground in October 2015, with a value of $400,000.

Endorsements

During his short NFL stint, Johnny made millions from endorsements, particularly with Nike. He also had endorsement deals with Nissan, McDonald’s, and Panini America.

Prior to entering the NFL draft, while still anticipated to be a first-round pick with a promising future, Johnny secured a lucrative multi-year endorsement deal with Nike. Proposals also came in from Under Armour and New Balance, vying for Manziel’s attention. Sadly, just two years later, in April 2016, amidst various off-field issues, Johnny was released by both Nike and his agents.

Early Life

Born on December 6, 1992, in Tyler, Texas, Jonathan Paul Manziel is of Lebanese and Italian heritage and has a younger sister named Meri. His parents, Paul and Michelle Manziel, have achieved significant wealth through oil and natural gas investments.

Johnny’s parents, oil magnates Paul and Michelle Manziel, are reportedly worth tens of millions, possibly between $50-100 million. Their paths crossed while working as bartenders; Michelle later transitioned into real estate, while Paul focused on home construction and car sales. Nevertheless, the family’s wealth primarily stems from Bobby Joe Manziel, Johnny’s great-grandfather, who discovered oil after relocating to Texas in the 1930s.

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

In high school football, Johnny began his freshman year as a receiver but transitioned to quarterback in the fourth game of his sophomore year. As a quarterback, he quickly caught the attention of others with his remarkable stats; during his senior season, he executed 65.7% of passes for 3,609 yards, achieving 45 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. Among his accolades, he was named 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 recognized as a “Parade” All-American.

Several schools showed interest in him, including Texas A&M, Baylor, Colorado State, Iowa State, Louisiana Tech, Oregon Rice, Stanford, and Tulsa.

College Career

Choosing to play at Texas A&M, Johnny accepted an academic scholarship. With quarterback Ryan Tannehill departing to the NFL post the 2011 season, Texas A&M needed to fill the position. Manziel outshined competitors Jameill Showers and Matt Joeckel, securing the role of starting quarterback. He drew attention when he surpassed Archie Manning’s 43-year-old total offense record in a game against Arkansas and maintained strong performances. Following his lead in an upset victory over top-ranked Alabama, Manziel found himself featured on Heisman Watch lists. He made history, becoming the first freshman (and only the fifth player in NCAA history) to both pass for 3,000 yards and rush for 1,000 in a season. Additionally, he made headlines as the first freshman to earn both the Davey O’Brien Award and the Heisman Trophy. In his sophomore year at Texas A&M, he finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting of 2013.

Professional Career

Opting to leave college football, Manziel decided against playing his junior season at Texas A&M and entered the 2014 NFL Draft. Although projected as a first-round pick, doubts regarding his attitude lingered. On draft day, 21 teams, including the Cleveland Browns, overlooked Manziel; however, a text he sent to Browns quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains helped persuade head coach Mike Pettine to select him as the 22^nd overall pick.

Manziel’s time with the Browns lasted just two seasons, both of which were fraught with issues. In his rookie season (2014), the NFL fined him $12,000 for a disrespectful hand gesture during a preseason game against the Washington Redskins, leading to Brian Hoyer being designated as the starting quarterback for the regular-season opener. The following season (2015), after footage of his partying surfaced online, Manziel was downgraded to third-string quarterback. On March 11, 2016, the Browns released Manziel after paying him $7,707,913 in salary. During his tenure, he recorded seven touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Subsequently, he spent two years away from professional football, primarily due to ongoing contract disputes, before re-entering the sport in 2018 by signing a two-year agreement with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL). However, he remained on the bench for only six weeks before being traded to the Montreal Alouettes in July 2018. Ultimately, the CFL severed ties with him, leading to his release by the Alouettes at the directive of league officials.

In March 2019, Manziel sought to make a comeback in professional football by joining the newly-formed Alliance of American Football (AAF), where he was assigned to the Memphis Express. Nevertheless, the…

In April 2019, the league filed for bankruptcy, having failed to complete even a single season. Currently, Manziel is signed with the FCF Zappers in the Fan-Controlled Football indoor league.

Personal Life and Controversies

In March 2017, Manziel became engaged to Bre Tiesi, and they tied the knot in March 2018. Sadly, the couple split just a year later, and in June 2021, Bre had a child with Nick Cannon. By 2023, she was a cast member of the reality series “Selling Sunset.”

Despite being a skilled athlete, Manziel’s career has been clouded with numerous controversies and legal issues. His first arrest occurred in June 2012, prior to his inaugural college football game. Reportedly, he attempted to intervene in an altercation involving a friend, which led to him getting involved, and he subsequently presented a fake ID to the police. Nevertheless, he was designated the starting quarterback for Texas A&M University.

Throughout his college career and into the professional arena, Manziel’s troubling actions attracted significant media scrutiny. Notable incidents include being ejected from a University of Texas fraternity party, facing an NCAA investigation for allegedly accepting payment for autographs (of which he was acquitted), being stopped for a dispute with then-girlfriend Colleen Crowley in a vehicle, and a 2016 Dallas Police Department investigation concerning domestic violence allegations made by Crowley (ultimately resulting in his indictment on misdemeanor assault charges). His off-field behavior had far-reaching consequences, such as the Cleveland Browns severing ties with him, the loss of his Nike sponsorship, and the termination of his contract by two different agents.

Blaming the Browns

During a 2018 appearance on “The Dan Patrick Show,” Manziel attributed his setbacks to his former team, criticizing them for not recognizing his deficiencies, 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 purchased a home in Avon, Ohio, for $400,000. By May 2016, he listed the property for $489,000 and eventually accepted an offer of $480,000 in June 2016. He currently resides in Scottsdale, Arizona.