Does Johnny Manziel come from oil money? The ex-Aggies quarterback rose to prominence in college, winning the Heisman and a few other prestigious awards. He was then drafted by the Browns in 2014 as a Round 1 pick. But soon came trouble, and Manziel was scrutinized from all angles, even a few speculating about his luxurious lifestyle, from private jets to luxury cars and watches.
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Two disastrous seasons later, Manziel was released by the Browns as he turned to alcohol and drugs — coupled with serious domestic violence allegations, charges of which were later dropped. He tried to stay off the gridiron for a while and get his life back together, until last year, when Netflix Untold featured Manziel in one of the episodes, once again reigniting the oil-money speculations.
In that very documentary, while speculating about Johnny Manziel selling autographs in college, it was claimed that the former NFL star had to insist that his luxury life was the result of oil money to avoid being caught. It made quite a few headlines back then; however, as it turns out, Manziel is still sticking to his story. During his recent chat with Shannon Sharpe on the Club Shay Shay podcast, the host asked Manziel straight, “Do you have oil money?”
The 2012 Heisman winner revealed that when his great-grandfather immigrated from Lebanon to the US, he found oil in East Texas. Although Manziel’s family was large, with this oil money, his family was able to own an expansive farm in Tyler, Texas, complete with a runaway and a hanger. Furthermore, he remarked that his grandparents had a rich and fulfilling life thanks to their parents’ oil wealth.
Did Johnny Manziel’s Grandfather Steer Him to a Lavish Lifestyle?
The former Browns QB further said that his grandpa, Norman Paul, led a luxurious lifestyle — often flying planes on joyrides. Norman had his share of star-studded friends group too, with professional boxer Jack Dempsey among them. Manziel also claimed that his grandpa used to go hunting with Yankees legends Micky Mantle and Joe DiMaggio. These stories apparently influenced Manziel, which is more than evident if we look at the past few years.
Johnny “Money” Manziel’s oil money:
“My great-grandpa when they came over from Lebanon found oil in East Texas… The lifestyle that I was living, I think was minorly ingrained in me from what I saw as a kid and what they were doing in the 50s, 60s, 70s.” – @jmanziel2 pic.twitter.com/pdYU0Q2zKF
— Club Shay Shay (@ClubShayShay) February 24, 2024
Sharpe went on to point out the previous argument about never having oil money and expressed claims about Manziel flaunting his wealth earned via other means of income. To this, the former NFL star replies, “How could they prove it?” Both agreed, “They couldn’t (prove it).”
The oil money dilemma continues, but it’s uplifting to see Manziel’s positive transformation. He even stressed in the interview that he now only focuses on being Johnny Manziel rather than Johnny Football — and prioritizes close ties with family, friends, and a great team guiding him on the right path.
