Johnny Manziel Reminds Brett Favre Of Himself With A Better Arm
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Brett Favre admittedly hasn't seen much of the player known simply as Johnny Football.
But the three quarters or so he watched was enough to draw comparisons to a certain NFL great -- himself.
"I almost thought I was watching film of a young Brett Favre," the former Green Bay Packers quarterback told USA Today.
Favre said he was impressed with Johnny Manziel's "whatever it takes" attitude in Texas A&M's comeback 41-38 win over Ole Miss in October. Manziel was 31 of 39 for 346 yards in that game, adding 124 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
"I didn't throw near as well as him," Favre said. "He may have that capability — unbelievable throws and can makes plays with his feet. I was impressed."
It all comes full circle as Manziel compared himself to Favre during an appearance on "The Dan Patrick Show" in late 2012.
"What a guy he was and a true gunslinger," Manziel said. "If I was throwing the ball in the backyard, with my Green Bay Packers' No. 4 jersey on, when I was a kid, that's who I was trying to be like."
But new CBS analyst Tony Gonzalez said Manziel is more of a Robert Griffin III type of player, "which could hurt him" in the upcoming NFL draft.
"He'll make a good transition to the NFL but, for me, he needs to work on that pocket passing," Gonzalez told USA Today. "There's such a thing as young running quarterbacks, but not old running quarterbacks."
It's doubtful that Manziel will be available when the Jets pick at No. 18. But some fans would certainly be chanting for him if he falls out of the top of the draft. The Jets haven't committed to starting 2013 second-round pick Geno Smith next season.
Manziel threw 93 career touchdowns to 22 interceptions with Texas A&M and won the Heisman Trophy in 2012.
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