Paul Manziel, father of released Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel, responding to questions about his son asked by ESPN's Josina Anderson:
He's a druggie. It's not a secret that he's a druggie. I don't know what to say other than my son is a druggie and he needs help. He just hasn't [sought] it yet. Hopefully he doesn't die before he comes to his senses. That's about all you can say. I don't know what else to say.
Questioned about what he has done to help his son, Manziel's father responded...
You have no idea. And the system failed. I had him in rehab and he escaped and the doctors let him go, and that is a whole other story. So I mean I had him ...and the system failed. It didn't work. He has more money than me, so he can outrun me.
Like I said, there are two things that are going to happen: He's either going to die, or he's going to figure out that he needs help. It's one of the two. But we've done everything that we can do. Life goes on. You can't just chase somebody that's not willing to listen. The story is not going to change. It's the same.
We're so far past what everybody thinks we are past. People are ignorant. It's just a horrible story. That's all there is to it. I mean, I hate to say it, but I hope he goes to jail. I mean, that would be the best place for him.
I'm done. I'm done talking about it. I'm doing my job, and I'm going to move on. If I have to bury him, I'll bury him. That's the fact. So if not, if he calls me and needs help, I'll go get him. Until then, he's on his own. I've done everything I can do. There is nothing I can do as a father. Nothing.
We're done. We don't have the energy to spend anymore. We're done.
Tim serves Clearnote Church, Bloomington, Indiana. He and Mary Lee have five children and big lots of grandchildren.
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