Johnny Manziel Discusses Comeback Attempt, Bipolar Disorder Diagnosis

Johnny Manziel opened up about his comeback attempt, bipolar disorder diagnosis and sobriety in a lengthy interview with Sports Illustrated's Bruce Feldman that was published Friday—a day after he threw in front of NFL teams for the first time since 2015.

"Man, I thought it went good," Manziel told Feldman of his work at the University of San Diego's pro day. "I'd only begun throwing with those guys since like the week before. It's a precursor for what we're about to do. It wasn't flawless or anything. I missed a couple of throws."

According to ESPN.com's Eric D. Williams, scouts from 13 NFL teams—including the New England Patriots, New York Giants and Oakland Raiders—were in attendance to watch Manziel try to work his way back into the league following two seasons away from football.

"When I first got in the league, did I have some leeway? Sure I did, but I have exhausted all leeway and all second chances," Manziel said. "This isn't the second chance. This is the 35th chance. This is the last of the last chances to show people that I've made a drastic change in my life, and it's for the better and I'm happy with where I'm at."

Specifically, the 25-year-old said that while he used marijuana roughly 90 days ago, he's been sober since and has not used any hard drugs in "almost a year."

Manziel also said taking medication for bipolar disorder, which he was diagnosed with in 2017, has been beneficial for his mental health.

"[The medications are] supposed to keep you even-keel. Sure, I do still drive in traffic and when someone cuts me off, I get pissed, but I'm able to take a deep breath. When I went to that mental health place, I started dealing with different coping mechanisms to really help me not being so drastic in my actions all the time."

The 2012 Heisman Trophy winner will now set his sights on The Spring League scouting showcase. He'll suit up for two games April 7 and April 14 in Austin, Texas, as he attempts to accelerate a return to the pros.

But even if scouts don't show much interest, Manziel said he'll be fine knowing he's made big strides away from the field.

"At the end of the day, if I was never to make it back to the NFL, I'd be completely happy to be clean and sober," he said. "But is that what I want and I aspire to? No. But at the same time I can live knowing what I've accomplished football-wise because I know there's more to life than just a game."