The former Jets quarterback (not that one) to whom Johnny Manziel often is compared has addressed Manziel’s early-career proclivity for being young and having fun.
“What difference does it make?” Joe Namath told NFL Network on Monday. “Really? And it is an example of the different eras and time. I do know this about Johnny Manziel, I haven’t seen anyone perform any better than Johnny the last two seasons on that football field. And I do know that we love entertainment. Football is a sport but it is showbiz. It is entertainment. And Johnny, he’s got to live his life, man. You know, give him some room.”
But Namath has no doubt that Manziel will be the right guy to lead the Browns, whenever the Browns let him be the leader.
“I’d love him on my team, just let me say that,” Namath said.
So how would life have been different for Broadway Joe if Twitter and social media and camera phones had existed in his day?
“I would have had to adjust,” Namath said.
He’s right about that, and he could be right about Manziel. If Manziel can remain healthy when he’s getting hit squarely not by players from Duke but by Steelers and Ravens and Bengals.
That’s the far bigger concern that Manziel’s decision to go to Vegas or spray champagne on total strangers. He took way too many square hits in college. And while he always got up when hit squarely in college, he may have a harder time getting up if he takes too many square hits from NFL defenders.