Johnny Manziel Pleads Guilty to Misdemeanor Charge, Avoids Further Jail Time

It’s been a rough couple of days for Johnny Manziel, but the superstar college quarterback has finally received some good news.

According to the staff of The Eagle, the Texas A&M signal-caller pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge for failing to identity himself to police during a fight that led to his arrest in June of 2012.

Manziel accepted a plea agreement that will have him pay the maximum $2,000 fine, spend two days in jail and pay $232 in court fees.

Fortunately, Johnny Football will remain a free man despite the sentence demanding he serve time. He was jailed last year after fighting and giving police a fake ID and logged enough time behind bars to avoid going back.

Given the nature of the crimes—possessing a fake driver’s license is a Class B misdemeanor in Texas—Manziel could have spent up to 180 days in jail, per The Eagle.   

However, The Eagle found that Brazos County Attorney Rod Anderson dismissed the charge, along with the Class C misdemeanor of disorderly conduct by fighting.

This plea agreement comes immediately after Manziel left the 2013 Manning Passing Academy due to an unspecified “illness” on Sunday, as ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported.

While Mortensen states there is some speculation that the 20-year-old was out partying and suffered from a hangover, Peyton Manning had Manziel’s back and didn’t seem upset by his departure, telling Mortensen:

"

I enjoyed meeting Johnny. I can remember a 20-year-old Eli [Manning] missing a meeting [at camp] and catching some flak. We always have counselors who leave early. Johnny was great with the campers for the time he was here. He had to leave early. I wish him the best and I want him to come back as a counselor next year.

"

Regardless of what happened in the past, Manziel has been given a second chance by the justice system and was fortunate to avoid a stint in jail.

Whether or not he will appreciate this opportunity and use it to concentrate on football and remain out of the press for negative reasons remains to be seen, but hopefully the immensely talented young man can get his act together before the 2013 college season begins.