Former Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel is embarking on a new journey that will bring him back into the sports arena in a very different way than before.
He’s going into podcasting, with a new show called “Glory Daze” that is produced and distributed by Almost Friday Media.
“I think it’s an amazing opportunity,” Manziel said. “With where I am at in life right now, still being able to sit down and have a lane a little bit in sports. Being able to sit down with some legendary athletes and be able to talk about their career, about mental health. I think it’s something that will be able to help people more than anything.”
Manziel views it as something that still keeps him connected to the game, even though his playing days on the field as a former Heisman Trophy winner are far behind him.
“That’s something that I want to do. I still very much watch every single week of college football and am still a fan of the game,” Manziel said. “To be able to do something now on the media side where I’m still involved in it that way is special to me.”
While some of the show will be focused on the on-the-field or on-the-court perspective of the athletes being interviewed, it will also have the ability,to show viewers a more personal side.
“Just being able to hear some other people’s stories that have been through a lot in life. I think there’s more than just what you see on the lines of a football field or a basketball court. When you’re on the court, there’s so much that goes on behind the scenes and off the court that people have their highs, their struggles.”
Manziel is excited to have the opportunity to help athletes share their stories in an era in which there is not as much of a stigma surrounding mental health as there used to be.
It’s a trend the former Aggies signal-caller is excited to see after dealing with some many of his own struggles throughout his career. He’ll continue to share some of those through his new platform.
“You have to check in on your guys,” Manziel said. “It’s something that, for a while, the stigma around it was that you didn’t want to ask for help, and you felt like it was all on your shoulders. As an athlete, I think guys more so now than ever, have a lot more avenues.
It’s a lot more of a talked-about subject and one that guys have the ability to reach out and ask for help if they are struggling. Where we are right now, and the way the world looks at mental health, it matters and hopefully guys are to the point where they are able to reach out and able to ask for help when it is needed.”
Vulnerability is a key part of athletes coming forward, and is something Manziel feels he has developed more of a sense of over time.
“For me, it’s just being honest with myself and vulnerable enough to share my struggles, to share what I’ve been through or share how I am feeling at a current time.”
It’s not always been that way for Manziel, though.
“For a long time in the past, I would have swept it under the rug and pretended everything was okay,” he said.
“I think more so than anything, it’s okay to not be okay. There’s a way to be able fix it. That’s what I’ve learned through my journey.”
The first episode of “Glory Daze” released on Oct. 24, 2024, and he can be found here.