Preseason in the CFL has arrived, and interest surged a little higher than usual when the Hamilton Tiger-Cats squared off with the Toronto Argonauts on Friday night. This was, after all, the debut of former Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel in the CFL, and it would be a solid one with nine completions on 12 passes for 80 yards as the back-up to Jeremiah Masoli in Hamilton’s 36-18 loss.
Of course, given the unusual degree of hype surrounding Manziel and his status in the football world, you can bet that the Argos were honed in on the quarterback and hoping to make a statement. They finished their hits strong on the quarterback and secured one emphatic sack, while (naturally) chirping him throughout.
For his part, Manziel is unfazed:
“I'm here to play ball. I'm not going to be treated like [expletive]. It is what it is, it’s football ... but just know I'm not backing down," said Manziel.
That may not do him any favours with his opponents, but for sure, Manziel is no pushover. While he’s aware of the unique media focus on him, it appears he’s keeping his nose to the ground and grinding through it.
It wasn’t just the opposing team that had their eyes peeled for Manziel on Friday night, as even before he came in to relieve Masoli, the crowd in Hamilton was chanting his name:
It’s clear that the hype level for Manziel is off the charts, and this will only continue to skyrocket as he grows familiar with the CFL style of play. No doubt, it’ll be something worth monitoring throughout the season.
