The recent release of Netflix’s documentary “Untold: Johnny Football” has reignited discussions regarding the nation’s top collegiate athletes and their relationship with mental health due to the experience of college.
Johnny Manziel was a star quarterback at Texas A&M University from 2011-2013. Although Manziel’s success on the field was impressive (highlighted by winning the Heisman Trophy in 2012), his presence off the field is what ultimately defined his rise to fame. One of Manziel’s famous sayings is “Win or lose, we booze”. This quote was first discussed shortly after a video of Manziel in a club was leaked by one of his friends, where Manziel can be heard exclaiming “I can’t hear you, there’s too much money in my f***ing hand.”
Just like Manziel’s career, his antics off the field would eventually be forgotten, and people moved on. One thing that Manziel struggled with during his football career was mental health. In the documentary, he revealed that he attempted suicide in 2015. The recent release of the documentary is helping other collegiate athletes speak up about their mental health. The University of Mississippi recently became the first in the Southeastern conference to implement a full time mental health division for their student-athletes, and at least six other schools are expected to implement similar programs before the end of the year.
Although Manziel struggled during his career, he turned his life around and is now a positive force in the world of sports, and is helping student-athletes get the help they need.
