For the second day in a row, a well-known American football player made headlines in what is the league's off-season.
Troubled ex-Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel was indicted Tuesday in a Texas court after allegations that he assaulted his ex-girlfriend and caused her bodily injury. Colleen Crowley accused Manziel of hitting and accosting her in January.
In her affidavit, Crowley said she was scared for her life after Manziel threw her on a bed in a Dallas hotel room and tried to restrain her. During the altercation, she said he slapped her on the ear and she still cannot hear out of it.
At the time of the incident, Dallas police investigated but did not arrest or charge Manziel. They instead sent the case to the grand jury. Crowley was granted a protective order following the incident.
"Johnny will certainly plead 'not guilty' and we believe the evidence will support that plea," Manziel's lead counsel, Jim Darnell, read from a statement. "Out of respect for Ms. [Colleen] Crowley, we will not try the case in the press. We do, however, believe that Johnny will be acquitted at the conclusion of the case."
Manziel made history in 2012 by becoming the first freshman player to win the Heisman Trophy, the prestigious award that goes to U.S. college football's best player after each regular season. He was the quarterback for Texas A&M, and that year he guided his school to a huge upset victory over No. 1 Alabama.
Manziel left college before graduating to turn professional, and was selected 22nd overall in the players draft by the NFL's Cleveland Browns in 2014.
But Manziel's troubled life off the field made more headlines than his playing, and much of it — like his drinking and partying — was captured in photos and videos and posted on social media. He told the media in 2014 that he would not change his life for anyone.
The Cleveland Browns released the 23-year-old early last month, making him a free agent.
Manziel's indictment for assault came one day after star New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady had his four-game suspension reinstated by a U.S. Court of Appeals. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell levied the penalty, believing Brady was "generally aware" of a plot to have underinflated footballs for use to his advantage in a key playoff game.
