This old video of Jon Gruden pushing hard for Johnny Manziel in the 2014 NFL Draft is wild
Jon Gruden probably would want to walk these takes back.
The 2021 NFL Draft kicks off tonight in Cleveland, where 50,000 fans are expected to take in the festivities and bring us all a much-needed sense of normality.
Before we get ready for tonight’s draft, though, we need to see why Johnny Manziel has been trending this morning on Twitter. Johnny Football, if you remember, was drafted by the Cleveland Browns with the 22nd pick in the first round of the 2014 draft.
But if it had been up to Jon Gruden, who was then an analyst with ESPN, Manziel would have gone a lot sooner than that.
Check out this old clip of Gruden absolutely singing the praises of Manziel and how he’d buy two tickets to a Texans game if Houston selected him.
Compilation of Jon Gruden pushing hard for Johnny Manziel during the whole 2014 first round. pic.twitter.com/fkLxY15M0z
— Freezing Cold Takes (@OldTakesExposed) April 29, 2021
Amazing.
Manziel, of course, had a very short career in the NFL and started in just eight of the 14 games he appeared in during his two years in the league.
Thankfully, Gruden is still coaching the Raiders so we won’t have to hear him at all during tonight’s draft coverage.