How much money did Johnny Manziel make in the NFL? Taking a closer look at the football star's career earnings
Johnny Manziel did not play for too long in the NFL. The Cleveland Browns drafted the Texas A&M Aggies QB in the first round (22nd overall) of the 2014 NFL draft. The 30-year-old had a lot of hype surrounding him following his successful college career. But he only played for two seasons in the NFL before being released in 2016.
Manziel's off-field issues led to him not living up to his potential as a dual-threat QB who won the Heisman Trophy in 2012. But despite all the controversies, he made a few million dollars with his NFL contract and endorsements.
According to various sources, the former Cleveland Browns QB's all-time career earnings are estimated at around $18 million.
The Browns offered him a rookie contract, which was a four-year, $8.2 million deal. The agreement included a $4.3 million signing bonus as well.
But just two years into his career, Manziel suffered from various off-field troubles, including substance abuse. The outcome was that the 30-year-old could not fully play out his contract, with the Browns paying him only $7.7 million. Apart from his salary, he made close to $10 million through various endorsement deals.
He had endorsements with high-value brands like Nike, Nissan, and McDonald’s. Just before being drafted, he signed a huge deal with Nike. Most of his endorsement earnings came from this deal. But after his series of off-field controversies, the deal eventually fell apart in 2016.
Johnny Manziel made a good chunk of money signing autographs in college
During an interview with Barstool Sports back in 2021, the 30-year-old opened up about making money after redshirting his freshman season in Texas. He talked about how an individual offered him $3,000 to sign 10,000 pieces of memorabilia at his condo.
Another individual allegedly gave him the number of a guy who would pay him $30,000 for a signing session.
While football may be behind him, the former NFL quarterback has yet to open up about his future plans after his retirement.