Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel and Tim Tebow have a one thing in common; they're both Heisman Trophy winners. Former Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns running back Jamal Lewis has drawn more parallels between the two than that, however, saying on record that Manziel--like Tebow--won't cut it in the NFL.
Lewis believes that Manziel, who won the Heisman trophy in 2012, was built for success on the college level, but it won't transfer to the NFL.
"I don't think he'll do good on the field or off the field," Lewis said, according to the Huntsville Times "I like him, but as a professional quarterback, I don't. He's a great college quarterback."
Lewis, a Super Bowl champion, then went on to compare Manziel to Tebow, who was released by the Jets after being scarcely used in 2012 and was then signed by the Patriots who released him before the end of the preseason during the team's roster cuts.
Tebow, now a free agent, is still determined to get back to the NFL despite not generating a lot of interest--if any at all--from around the league. The 0-4 Jacksonville Jaguars were a rumored landing spot for Tebow, but despite a small rally by fans at the stadium's parking lot and a banner flying over Everbank Stadium during Sunday's game saying, 'Tebow, Why Not?,' ownership has shown no interest in pursuing him. Tebow has also denied signing with any outside organizations including a football league in Russia as he's determined to play in the NFL again.
Lewis said, "Yes," when asked if Manziel will turn out like Tebow, and then elaborated:
"He brings good excitement that people want to see, that's it," Lewis said per the Huntsville Times.
Lewis is referring to the excitement around Manziel being something similar to "Tebow-mania" which swept through America a few years ago. Tebow was a college standout and became the first player to win the Heisman Trophy in their sophomore year when he did so at the University of Florida. Tebow's rise in the NFL came with a chance to start for the Denver Broncos in 2011-12, where he took over and helped the team finish with an 8-8 record and AFC West division title.
Tebow then orchestrated a game-winning drive in overtime that defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in the wild-card round of that year's playoffs, but the team was then eliminated in the second round. Following his signing and subsequent release with the Jets, he went through the same thing with the Patriots and now doesn't have an NFL home.
Lewis believes a similar fate could be headed for Manziel. While Tebow and Manziel are similar in regards to their popularity, Tebow usually has positive news off the field due to his strong well-known religious background, while Manziel has established some negative news off the field for himself with an arrest and a few other incidents over the last couple of years, including his most recent scandal involving allegedly signing autographs for money.
He was suspended for the first half of Texas A&M's season opener as a result, though he wasn't found guilty of the accusations.
This season, Manziel has gone 99-for-139 (71.2%) for 1,475 yards with 14 touchdowns and four interceptions. He's also rushed for 307 yards on 46 attempts.
Much like Tebow in his college years, Manziel has become a household name, but can he avoid following in Tebow's footsteps and have more success at the NFL level?
Lewis doesn't think so.
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