Johnny Manziel’s football career won’t resume in Canada this season, as the Canadian Football League said Wednesday a contract is not forthcoming for the controversial and out-of-work quarterback — at least until next year.
After Manziel worked out for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in August, the team said it wasn’t interested in signing him. But the Ti-Cats never removed Manziel from their negotiation list or traded his rights to another team, and the CFL earlier this month extended the team’s window to sign the former Heisman Trophy winner and first-round draft pick of the Browns.
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But the CFL said Wednesday that negotiations are off for this season and that Manziel will have to fulfil certain requirements of commissioner Randy Ambrosie in order to be eligible to play in the league next season.
“After an extensive process of due diligence and an in-person meeting with Mr. Manziel, the Commissioner has decided that he will not register any contract for Mr. Manziel for this season. However, Mr. Manziel will be eligible to sign a contract for the 2018 season and, if Mr. Manziel meets certain conditions that have been spelled out by the Commissioner, the CFL will register that contract,” the league’s statement said. “The specifics of those conditions are confidential and will not be disclosed. The CFL has extended the stay on the expiry of the 10-day window for Mr. Manziel until Nov. 30, 2017 and therefore Mr. Manziel will remain on Hamilton’s negotiation list until that date.”
MORE: Trent Richardson signs with Saskatchewan Roughriders
Manziel issued his own statement saying while his recent meeting with Ambrosie was postive and that he's ready to play now, "we all agreed with the Commissioner that it made no sense for me to join a team with only a month left in the season."
A statement from QB Johnny Manziel on the latest CFL development. "I love this game and want to be back on the field..." pic.twitter.com/rHuzB5KKGY
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 27, 2017