FCF: Grading Johnny Manziel and Terrell Owens debut together in Fan-Controlled-Football

| American Football | 04/25/2022

After making the league’s avid fans wait a week the Fan-Controlled-Football League’s most high-profile duo hit the field together for the first time. The Zappers trotted out 2012 Heisman winner for former NFL first-round draft pick Johnny Manziel, joining 48-year-old Hall-of-Famer Terrell Owens. Let’s take a deeper look at how they did.

While TO got the starting nod for a second week in a row, Manziel sat back and watched Brian Allen get the first snap.  After a disastrous two series ending in turnovers for the Zappers, Johnny Manziel entered the game. Just like that the magic of Johnny football was back as he hit Owens on a 40-yard strike down the left sideline for a touchdown.

As you can see on the video however, Owens did step out of bounds at the one, taking away from the moment as the play was shortly overturned. Yet, Manziel kept fans on their feet as he took it in himself on the very next play with a short touchdown run.

In the ‘one on one’ (the FCF’s version of the extra point) Owen’s seemed to beat his man by half as step however Manziel just missed the throw inside.

Manziel and Owens’s opponents then went on a long drive, eating up the rest of the half.

Finally in the second half, Manziel and TO hit the field again. On the first play of the series, Manziel scrambled for time and heaved the ball deep for Owens. The ball just missed the hands of the defender before also slipping out of Owens’s grasp. Manziel responded by hitting TO on a clutch 16-yard hitch moving the sticks for a struggling Zappers offense.

The former Cleveland Browns quarterback was under pressure most of the game, and still has the athleticism that once made him college football’s most electrifying player. Manziel on his second series bought time and ran for yards when needed. However, on the same series, play he couldn’t get away from the rush and was forced to flip the ball out of bounds drawing an intentional grounding penalty.

Now on fourth and long, the FCF’s two biggest stars responded hooking up again on a hitch route and moving the sticks. Manziel seemed to be heating up at this point, ran for another first down on the next play. Inching close the goal-line, Johnny football knew where he wanted to go throwing a fade to TO in the corner. Yet Manziel’s ball was underthrown and fell to the turf.

Now facing third and goal Manziel again bought himself time, then threw late over the middle looking for TO again, but the two were not on the same page leading to another incompletion. On fourth and goal, Manziel was quickly sacked.

Now facing a fifth and goal… yes in the fan-controlled football league fans can opt to use a fifth down once a game.  Manziel scrambled for time once again darting back and forth juking out opposing pass rusher. He saw his receiver open in the endzone and delivered what looked to be an accurate touchdown pass, only to see his receiver slip and fall and the ball hit the turf, essentially ending the game.

And that was it. …Two series and a ugly blowout loss for Manziel, Owens, and the Zappers. The former Heisman trophy winner finished the day going 3-9 for 70 yards, with 20 rushing yards and a touchdown run. While NFL hall of famer Terrell Owens had three catches for 70 yards on six targets.

Manziel took off his pads off with about two minutes left as the game was out of hand. The former Heisman winner also left the field without taking scheduled interviews and was walking gingerly after taking a few hits throughout the game. Terrell Owens also mentioned in a post-game interview that he wouldn’t be playing next week as he had a prior obligation. Fans hope that wasn’t that last time they see this combination hit the field.

Watch Johnny Manziel’s pregame interview here:

Alex is a former NCAA and semi-pro American football player who is now located in London, where he works in digital marketing. His goal in writing for AFI is to stay involved with the game that has given him so much. Alex enjoys covering leagues and