Carmen Mandato/Getty ImagesJohnny Manziel was the Heisman Trophy winner in 2012 as a freshman at Texas A&M. He said Monday that he is happy that college athletes now have the right to their name, image, and likeness (NIL).Manziel stated to Don Williams, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, that he believed there was a huge opportunity to make money while he was at a college football program. He believes the new laws in the country will be a benefit for many players."I believe that college guys should continue to move forward. That'll be very lucrative. I believe that people will approach guys, no matter what has been ruled."But it's good to give some money to these guys. It's not fun to be on $600 per month and struggling to make ends meet on just a few hundred dollars. It's trending in a positive direction. I'm glad it happened. I'm also glad it has gotten to this level from where it was.Manziel, who won the Heisman award at A&M, confirmed that he had signed autographs for $33,000 on Barstool Sports' Bussin’ With The Boys podcast in June (via Sporting News' Zac al-Khateeb)."This guy came up behind me and asked, 'Yo? How would you like to make three grand? I turn around and I'm like "F--k yes, bro." I had about 65 dollars in my bank account. He said that he was still waiting for the January stipend check to arrive. "So I take down this guy's number, we're doing all the sneaky, and we don't want get caught. We want to learn from everyone who was caught."On the Barstool podcast, he said that another person had told him he was being lowballed because of the $3,000 deal. He also suggested an additional $30,000 to sign additional items. This he accepted.Although the 28-year old native of Texas had a stellar collegiate career, it did not translate into professional success in the NFL, or any other stops including the CFL.Williams was told by Manziel that it would have been great to maximize his NIL rights while he was at college. However, he said that he is as happy now as he has ever been and doesn't worry about losing financial opportunities. He is more excited about the future and how it will benefit those who follow his lead."So, is it a good thing and a blessing to most of the men who come in?" Yes. That's the truth. There's nothing wrong with having more. For both guys who bring a lot of value to campus and those who bring a lot back to the university."I feel like my impact was lasting on Texas A&M. You could also say that about Reggie Bush, Vince Young, and a lot of other guys. You think that [Texas Tech's] Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree wouldn't have earned some money back then?"There are men out there who move things, who do unique things, and who have the potential to make it a profitable business."Former Cleveland Browns signal-caller said the situation would "change the landscape", and he is interested in how the NCAA responds to the deals.Manziel is still playing football at lower levels of the game, most recently for the Zappers in Fan Controlled Football league.
