Johnny Manziel used homophobic slurs in an online rant against a Cleveland sports radio host on Thursday, targeting Tony Rizzo with a stream of expletives and derogatory language in a since-deleted post on X.
The homophobic outburst
Manziel’s post, addressed directly to Rizzo, opened with the words “Rizz, you stupid c***” before escalating into a tirade that singled out what he called “bored homos in the Cleveland media”. The former Heisman Trophy winner made the remark while referencing current Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, claiming the media had “nothing to speak about because your quarterback stopped banging massage therapists”.
The language drew immediate criticism from fans and commentators. Browns blogger Ernesto Cova wrote on X: “Manziel has taken so much accountability and has grown so much that the minute he takes his ass to this platform is to spill homophobic slurs.” Another critic observed: “Johnny dropping ‘homos’ as an insult in 2026 is peak Johnny Football. Whether on field or off, the kid’s got zero awareness.” A further response called Manziel a “b****” who “sucked badly” and was “laughed out of the league”.
Manziel continued his post by insisting his tenure in Cleveland “was doomed by a lot more people than just me”, adding “Tom Brady couldn’t have won with our roster from 2015” and telling Rizzo to “f*** off and leave me out of this bulls***”.
Background to the feud
The exchange dates back to a podcast recorded in October of last year, in which Manziel told former NFL stars Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson that he hopes the Browns go 0–16 every season, declaring he has “no love for the Browns” and will “hate them forever”. Rizzo, a long-time fixture on ESPN Cleveland and co-host of “The Really Big Show”, responded on Thursday by chiding the former quarterback for his bitterness, asking rhetorically: “What did anyone do for you except root for you to win… Why the hate for the team that drafted you?”
Manziel’s subsequent X post dragged Deshaun Watson into the row. Watson, who currently faces a battle for the starting job in Cleveland, has been sued by dozens of women — mostly massage therapists — over allegations of sexual misconduct dating back to his time with the Houston Texans. While he has never explicitly admitted to any misconduct, he has settled 26 civil lawsuits confidentially and served an 11-game suspension imposed by the NFL in 2022, along with a $5m fine for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. Watson has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Rizzo, for his part, recently returned to the airwaves after suffering a major heart attack, having spent more than three decades as a prominent voice in Cleveland sports media.
Manziel’s career and personal struggles
Manziel, now 33, was selected by the Browns with the 22nd overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft after winning the Heisman Trophy at Texas A&M. His two seasons in Cleveland were marred by poor on-field results and a string of off-the-field issues, leading to his release in March 2016.
Since then, he has bounced through several lower-tier leagues. He played a season with the Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League, throwing seven interceptions against five touchdowns, and also spent time with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats before his CFL contract was terminated in 2019 for violating league agreements. He later joined the Memphis Express in the now-defunct Alliance of American Football, which suspended operations shortly after his arrival, and most recently appeared in the Fan Controlled Football league in 2022.
Manziel has been open about his personal battles. He has admitted to substance-abuse issues and has spoken about using alcohol to self-medicate his depression. He has also revealed a suicide attempt following his release from the Browns. Currently, he claims to be sober and has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, entering a recovery programme. He now works as a college football analyst and media personality.
