How Johnny Manziel was almost drafted by the Chiefs, changing the course of history and his life

EXCLUSIVE: In an NFL play defined by nan Kansas City Chiefs dynasty and endless Taylor Swift crossover, 1 large draught infinitesimal 10 years agone looms larger than ever. 

Johnny Manziel was nan nation's biggest communicative going into nan consequential 2014 NFL Draft. That night, connected May 8 successful New York City, Manziel showed up to Radio City Music Hall arsenic an anomaly successful nan draught process. Experts fiercely debated whether 1 of nan biggest stars successful assemblage shot history was moreover physically and mentally tin of playing astatine nan pro level astatine all. 

And 10 years later, nan experts who stake against Manziel were right. A short-lived, inefficient profession arsenic a backup compounded pinch addiction issues, bouts pinch slump and anxiety, and chronicles of off-the-field scandals marked Manziel's drafting arsenic 1 of nan darkest black-hole decisions successful nan league's history.  

But to his credit, he was drafted by nan Cleveland Browns. 

"I was excited whenever it happened connected draught night, but looking backmost now, there's times wherever I person a spot of a bitter sensation successful my rima possibly astir really my NFL profession turned out," Manziel told Fox News Digital successful an exclusive interview. "The draught is thing that is retired of your control, it goes nan measurement it goes, you don't person a ton of opportunity successful wherever you extremity up. Would it person been different if I was location else? Maybe. But that's not really really it went."

And while he had nary opportunity successful nan matter, Manziel still remembers different possibilities. 

He remembers his supplier Erik Burkhardt staying successful adjacent connection pinch nan Kansas City Chiefs, and he remembers believing that nan Chiefs were going to beryllium his "floor" connected draught nighttime if he fell heavy capable successful nan first round, which he did. 

"We had been reached retired by nan Chiefs [that] were a squad that was possibly going to beryllium my level and get pinch a feline for illustration Andy Reid, but extracurricular of that, nan draught was conscionable benignant of a wait-and-see point for me," Manziel said. "They had interaction pinch my supplier and we benignant of had a emotion that that was going to beryllium my floor." 

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Johnny Manziel of nan Texas A&M Aggies takes nan shape aft he was picked by nan Cleveland Browns during nan first information of nan NFL Draft astatine Radio City Music Hall connected May 8, 2014, successful New York City. (Elsa/Getty Images)

The Chiefs were coming disconnected nan first twelvemonth nether Reid's leadership. Reid had instantly transformed nan Chiefs from a squad pinch nan worst grounds successful nan convention to a squad that started 9-0 and reached nan playoffs pinch a 30-year-old Alex Smith astatine quarterback.

The Chiefs held nan 23rd prime connected draught nighttime that year. 

Manziel had fallen past nan first 21 spots aft draught critics voiced concerns that his accomplishment group and characteristic would not person warranted a action successful nan first round. His size, limb spot and maturity were deemed reddish flags. Still, his talent was undeniable to anyone who watched him play astatine nan assemblage level. Manziel's expertise to improvise and create large plays nether unit reflected nan type of instincts that "can't beryllium taught," often said by scouts. It was a akin unsocial talent to nan 1 Chiefs fans person seen from Patrick Mahomes for nan past 7 years. 

But earlier Reid and erstwhile Chiefs wide head John Dorsey moreover had nan action to return Manziel, nan Browns made a last-minute trade. The Browns hopped 1 prime up of Kansas City. They made a woody pinch nan Philadelphia Eagles for nan 22nd pick, jumping 4 picks up from 26 and giving up a third-rounder to debar risking losing retired connected Manziel, conscionable arsenic nan Chiefs were astir to pick. 

Manziel may person been Reid's first backmost prime arsenic nan Chiefs caput coach and whitethorn person fixed him a caput commencement connected uncovering a successor to Smith. At that time, Smith was viewed arsenic a tin seasoned who could thief nan Chiefs compete, but not a semipermanent franchise star. 

Manziel whitethorn person stepped into a akin business that Patrick Mahomes had stepped into successful 2017, but 3 years earlier. 

But instead, Manziel went to Cleveland, joining a sad nine of different imaginable stars who saw their careers dice connected nan banks of Lake Eerie. Brady Quinn, Tim Couch and much recently, Deshawn Watson, each laic alongside Manziel successful nan Browns' infamous backmost profession graveyard. 

"It's difficult for maine to look backmost connected my NFL profession now and opportunity it could person been overmuch worse," Manziel said. "I deliberation being location and being successful a business wherever I was a backup and learning from a feline for illustration Alex Smith and Andy Reid, it could person only been positive." 

JOHNNY MANZIEL ON HOW ADDICTION ISSUES GOT WORSE AFTER BROWNS DRAFTED HIM: ‘I LEARNED WHAT DEPRESSION WAS’

Kansas City Chiefs caput coach Andy (Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports)

Manziel added that he had ne'er been to Kansas City earlier successful his life. In contrast, he said that getting drafted by nan Dallas Cowboys, who played adjacent to wherever he grew up successful Texas, would person put him successful nan worst business imaginable because of really acquainted he was pinch nan area and nan group successful that could person pulled him into much mediocre decisions. But he had nary specified knowledge of nan activities successful Missouri. 

If nan Chiefs had taken Manziel, his default statement would person tally astatine slightest done nan 2017 play – Mahomes' rookie twelvemonth – pinch an action for a 5th twelvemonth connected nan 2018 season. Meanwhile, a fewer months aft nan 2014 draft, Smith went connected to motion a four-year $68 cardinal statement hold pinch nan Chiefs to enactment successful Kansas City done 2018. 

Had nan Chiefs drafted Manziel, Smith, Mahomes and their seamless handover of nan starting occupation that propelled nan Chiefs to a dynasty whitethorn person ne'er happened.

But moreover if nan Browns didn't make nan waste and acquisition to return Manziel up nan Chiefs, location was different anticipation that whitethorn person landed him successful Kansas City nan pursuing year, if Reid really wanted him. 

Manziel said he has besides thought astir a life successful which he didn't state for nan draught successful 2014. After 2 Heisman-worthy assemblage seasons successful 2012 and 2013, Texas A&M fans prayed Manziel would enactment successful assemblage for astatine slightest 1 much year. 

Now he thinks that staying 1 much twelvemonth whitethorn person been a amended people of action. 

In an NFL play defined by nan Kansas City Chiefs dynasty and endless Taylor Swift crossover, 1 large draught determination 10 years agone looms larger than ever. (Getty Images)

"Maybe I could person gotten a small much prepared shot wise for what was coming successful nan NFL," Manziel said. "I still beryllium backmost astatine times reasoning astir having 2 years of eligibility and possibly I could person stayed, possibly I did time off a small spot early." 

Manziel added that he would person wanted to thief nan Aggies compete for a nationalist title if he stayed different year. 

The Chiefs would person had an moreover amended chance to draught Manziel nan pursuing outpouring if he didn't state until 2015. After missing nan playoffs successful 2014, nan Chiefs ended up pinch nan 18th prime successful nan draught that year. 

Tight extremity Travis Kelce was already successful Kansas City astatine that point. He had already helped spearhead nan turnaround arsenic 1 of Reid's first Chiefs draught picks successful 2013. But moreover then, moreover if Manziel had nan privilege of passing to Kelce, connected a squad pinch a beardown roster, a Hall of Fame caput coach and a metropolis and squad civilization that's done thing but output winning and prosperous lives for players complete nan past decade, Manziel can't opportunity for judge he wouldn't person spiraled into nan aforesaid habits that tanked his NFL profession successful Cleveland, moreover pinch different twelvemonth successful college.

"I don't cognize if there's thing successful that constituent successful clip aliases if different twelvemonth would person helped maine hole for wherever I was successful my life astatine that point," Manziel said. 

"I still deliberation location would person been a immense learning curve, a immense spread for me. At nan extremity of nan day, I was successful a awesome position to spell and person a longer NFL profession than I did, and it conscionable came down to maine and myself. I don't put a batch of blasted connected anybody other but myself for things not moving out."

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Taylor Swift and Brittany Mahomes (David Eulitt/Getty Images)

Kelce and Chiefs fans will ne'er person to cognize really things would person gone if nan squad took Manziel aliases 2014 aliases 2015. Kelce bloomed into a perennial Pro Bowler playing pinch Smith, past Mahomes elevated him to a multiple-time Super Bowl champion and 1 of nan biggest superstars successful nan sport. And of course, Taylor Swift came on not excessively acold aft that. 

Would Kelce person go nan prima walk catcher worthy of wooing Swift had nan Chiefs made Manziel their quarterback? The world will ne'er know. 

But that didn't hap and now each NFL fans are bracing for nan anticipation of seeing nan Chiefs make a tally to a 3rd consecutive Super Bowl, while shots of Swift and Mahomes' wife, Brittany, interrupt countless minutes of NFL playoff broadcasts.

"The champion squad is going to triumph it each year, and if that happens to beryllium nan Chiefs, past possibly [the different fans] will conscionable person to support hating connected them," Manziel said. 

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