Johnny Manziel makes AAF debut with Memphis Express

Johnny Manziel took his first snaps as a member of the AAF‘s Memphis Express in a reserve role after recently signing with the team.

After a brief hiatus in Canada, Johnny Manziel has returned to American soil with hopes of pursuing a return to the NFL. Before he gets there, though, he’ll have to win the starting quarterback battle with the Memphis Express. Manziel signed with Memphis after passing through the AAF’s waiver system and saw his first action behind starter Brandon Silvers.

Silvers started the game and was unspectacular as the Express fell behind the Birmingham Iron 16-8. Manziel was inserted for a first half drive. He picked up 20 yards with his legs, 13 of which came on a designed run on his first play. He also completed a 36-yard pass. Then the Express went back to Silvers.

Manziel got another chance at the start of the second half. He was sacked and threw a 13-yard completion before Memphis was forced to punt. He also had the chance to run a two-point play later in the third quarter but delivered the crisp pass just a step out of bounds.

He finished 3-of-5 for 48 yards with 20 yards on the ground. That’s not terrible considering how bad Memphis has been this season and the week’s worth of preparation Manziel had before this game.

All in all, it was a relatively neutral outcome in Manziel’s first AAF action. He didn’t set the world on fire, but he didn’t look outmatched either. As he learns the playbook and becomes more familiar with his team the opportunities for Manziel to impress will continue to grow. This was just the beginning. At the very least, it was nice to see No. 2 back in action again.