Johnny Manziel has been suspended for four games by the NFL for violating its substance abuse policy and could face additional penalties for breaking the league's personal conduct policy.
Manziel, who was cut by the Cleveland Browns in March, would have to serve the penalty if he is picked up by another team,
Cleveland.com reported.
TMZ wrote that the suspension, though, does not "roll over," meaning that if the quarterback sits out the 2016 season, he would not have to miss any games for the 2017 season because of the current penalty. The NFL stated,
according to ESPN, that Manziel could participate in all preseason activities if he is picked up.
The suspension comes on the heels of Manziel's misdemeanor charges stemming from an alleged altercation with ex-girlfriend Colleen Crowley in Texas. His father, Paul Manziel, told ESPN last week that his son was "a druggie" and needs help.
"It's not a secret that he's a druggie," Paul Manziel
told ESPN on June 24. "I don't know what to say other than my son is a druggie and he needs help. He just hasn't [sought] it yet. Hopefully he doesn't die before he comes to his senses. That's about all you can say. I don't know what else to say."
The alleged attack on Crowley in January could lead to the NFL suspending Manziel for more games for violating his personal conduct policy. One of Manziel's attorneys in the case, Bob Hinton, reportedly quit this week after inadvertently sending a text message to The Associated Press saying the quarterback was seeking a plea deal in the case,
noted The Dallas Morning News.
Hinton allegedly expressed in the text his doubts about Manziel's ability to stay clean and said he was given a receipt showing the quarterback may have spent more than $1,000 at a drug paraphernalia store shortly after he was involved in a hit-and-run crash.
Dallas police said last month that Manziel reported that his 2015 Nissan GTR was t-boned in a hit-and-run wreck,
according to The Associated Press.
Manziel
told TMZ Sports this week that he plans on getting sober and making a comeback.
Manziel spent 10 weeks in a rehab facility in 2015 before his second season with the Browns after struggling with the team on and off the field his rookie season,
noted Fox Sports.