Georgia football HC Kirby Smart takes hilarious jab at Johnny Manziel: 'Champion of Fireball"
While speaking at the Nike Coach of the Year Clinic, Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart took a hilarious jab at former Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel. In his presentation, Smart pulled up photos of Manziel, Joe Burrow, Bryce Young and Cam Newton. He asked his audience what all four players had in common. Answers […]
While speaking at the Nike Coach of the Year Clinic, Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart took a hilarious jab at former Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel.
In his presentation, Smart pulled up photos of Manziel, Joe Burrow, Bryce Young and Cam Newton.
He asked his audience what all four players had in common.
Answers from the crowd of "Heisman," and "quarterback," were tossed around, and Smart confirmed that they all were indeed Heisman quarterbacks.
But when someone said, "champions," Smart got smart with his response.
"Champions? He ain’t no champion. Champion of what? Champion of Fireball," Smart said of Manziel. "Alright, alright, alright, alright, I’m gonna go here for you. There’s Heisman. Right? They all had great days vs. our defenses. All four of them went off on us in some way, shape or form."
Smart was Alabama's defensive coordinator in 2012, the year Manziel and the Aggies upset the Crimson Tide 29-24. Manziel would go on to become the first freshman in College Football history to win the Heisman Trophy.
What came next was unfortunate for Manziel, who was a first-round draft pick (No. 22 overall) by the Cleveland Browns in 2014.
Manziel failed to translate his talents at the pro level and ultimately admitted to letting partying and substance abuse distract him.
He spent two years in the pros before Cleveland released him and his NFL career would come to an abrupt ending.
While Smart did make a joke, Manziel's story is a valuable lesson and one that should not be forgotten.
