The Herd with Colin Cowherd: Hour 3 – Johnny Manziel Joins The Herd

Date: March 12, 2026
Podcast: The Herd with Colin Cowherd
Episode Theme: Redemption, mentorship, and insight into college/NFL football through the lens of Johnny Manziel's journey and life lessons.

Overview

In this insightful episode, Colin Cowherd welcomes former Heisman-winning quarterback Johnny Manziel (“Johnny Football”) for a candid conversation about his mentorship of Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia, how Manziel’s life and perspective have matured, the ever-changing landscape of college football (including NIL and the transfer portal), and the lessons he's learned from his tumultuous NFL career. The tone is frank, reflective, and at times humorous, with Manziel offering humility, accountability, and a desire to help the next generation avoid his mistakes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Johnny Manziel as Mentor: Can You Learn from Mistakes?

[02:41–07:42]

• Context: Cowherd initially questioned Pavia's choice to lean on Manziel as a mentor, given Manziel's well-publicized struggles. After discussing it with Matt Hasselbeck (also mentored by Jeff George), Cowherd realized that learning from those who have “been through it” can be powerful.

• Manziel’s Take:

  • Knowing Pavia personally, having dined with his family, and witnessing the college culture (noting SEC QBs always have a spotlight, but still partake in partying).

  • Manziel didn't avoid tough love:

    “Diego Pavia was partying before he ever met me… These are college kids… you have more eyes on you… After the Heisman… I didn't talk to him for a couple days after that… Then when I spoke to him… ‘You have to do the things that I didn't do. You have to carry yourself with a little more class.’”
    — Johnny Manziel, [05:16–06:27]

  • His advice revolves around accountability and preparation:

    “When you go to the combine, they may drop a binder… with everything that you’ve done wrong… You need to be prepared… get out in front of it and do the things that I didn't do…”
    — Manziel, [06:35]

  • Emphasized Pavia’s non-elite draft status, stressing the importance of work ethic and surrounding oneself with the right people.

2. Regrets, Growth, and Accepting Life’s Path

[07:42–10:47]

• Cowherd’s Prompt: Does Manziel have any regrets?

  • Cowherd observes: “You’re a free spirit… Is there one thing you do regret?”

• Manziel’s Reflection:

  • Acknowledges wishing he’d made changes earlier—could have fun later, but should have first “set yourself up for success.”

  • Admits:

    “I look back at a career that I know and I’m honest with myself about how it went. Do I wish I would have got to play longer? … But I very much told myself in my head and I’ve come to peace with what my football career was.”
    — Manziel, [08:35]

  • Embraces his current ability to impact positively:

    “Maybe God has put me on this earth to not be a guy that played in the NFL for 15 years ... I still have an unbelievable gift ... to be noticed, to be recognized ... I am in the position now in my life to give back, to do good things and to be a positive influence ...”
    — Manziel, [09:13]

3. Role of Organizational Stability: Could Johnny Have Succeeded Elsewhere?

[10:47–12:56]

• Cowherd: Notes how environment matters, referencing Sam Darnold's career trajectory and NFL data showing most first-round QBs switch teams due to organization dysfunction.

• Manziel’s Take:

  • “I had Joe Thomas, Alex Mack, Joe Hayden—really good people in the building that tried to get through to me and it just wasn't able to happen at that point in my life.”
  • Admits a more stable team may have helped, but “I was still headed down a path where I needed to get woken up by life.”
  • Highlights maturation and self-assessment developed after football.

4. NIL & The State of College Football

[18:45–22:02]

• Cowherd: Shares he likes that NIL gives college athletes financial head starts, asks if Manziel worries about “NIL and what it provides.”

• Manziel:

  • Notes discussions with athletes about financial education.

  • Sees huge risk in young athletes receiving large sums early, but hopes schools are teaching basic financial management.

  • Warns of the unregulated “wild, wild west” aspect:

    “Right now, it's just a wild, wild west. You need some regulations, and you need some things for these college kids to not just have all the power and run over the game that is college football right now. It's ridiculous."
    — Manziel, [20:42]

  • Points out biggest NIL benefits are for top-tier players, and transfer risks can leave kids without a team, underscoring the need for caution.

5. The Allure and Shortcomings of Texas Football

[22:02–24:39]

• Cowherd: Asks if Austin (Texas) is “too fun” to sustain perennial elite football, given Texas’ resources but underachievement.

• Manziel:

  • Blames prior recruiting missteps and notes schadenfreude at Texas A&M as Texas faltered.
  • Appreciates that NIL aids parity for schools like Vanderbilt or Indiana to rapidly improve.
  • "The Big Ten is kind of running the show in college football right now. It's taken a lot of power from the SEC and we'll see if that continues to shift."
    — Manziel, [24:24]

6. Maturity and Personal Transformation

[24:39–27:28]

• Cowherd: Notes Manziel’s evident growth; asks, “How did you get there?”

• Manziel:

  • Cites therapy, supportive parenting, and honest self-assessment as keys:

    “I think I've accepted the fact that I'm human. I make mistakes. I'm really hard on myself… I've spent a lot of time with therapists. I've worked through a lot of trauma... From there I've taken an honest assessment and an honest look at my life and what's transpired, what I did to myself, what other people did to me. And I look at it through a very honest lens. ... I have better friends that surround me. I have a passion and a purpose in my life of things that I want to do moving forward that get me out of bed every day. And that move me.”
    — Manziel, [25:10–26:25]

  • Wants to leave others with a positive impression:

    “When you have me on your show, I want you to feel like, man, that guy is doing better in life. He has grown up ... I'm going to continue to do [that] for the rest of my life.”
    — Manziel, [26:55]

7. On Fernando Mendoza & NFL Draft Prospects

[27:28–28:43]

• Cowherd: Asks for Manziel’s player eval of Fernando Mendoza.

• Manziel:

  • Likes Mendoza’s arm strength and decision-making.

    “I think he's going to continue to get better. ... Throws a really good ball, has a lot of zip ... More than impressed me being around him at the Heisman.”
    — Manziel, [27:45]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You have to do the things that I didn't do. ... The work ethic that you put into the building. Pretty much this. All the things that I didn’t do that got my ass kicked out of the NFL in two years.”
  — Johnny Manziel on advice to Diego Pavia, [07:14]

• "Maybe God has put me on this earth to not be a guy that played in the NFL for 15 years ... I still have an unbelievable gift ... to be noticed, to be recognized. ... I have a passion and a purpose in my life of things that I want to do moving forward..."
  — Manziel, on his new outlook, [09:18, 26:00]

• “I had Joe Thomas, Alex Mack, Joe Hayden... really good people... and it just wasn't able to happen at that point in time in my life. ... I was still headed down a path where I needed to get woken up by life.”
  — Manziel, on “what if” he'd landed on a better team, [11:45]

• On NIL:

  “Right now, it’s just a wild, wild west. You need some regulations, and you need some things for these college kids...”
  — Manziel, [20:42]

• On personal growth:

  “I've spent a lot of time with therapists. I've worked through a lot of trauma that we all have in our life... I've taken an honest assessment and an honest look at my life…”
  — Manziel, [25:15]

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamps | |--------------------------------------------|------------------| | Manziel mentoring Diego Pavia | 04:53 – 07:42 | | Reflections and regrets | 07:42 – 10:47 | | Situation & environment in NFL careers | 10:47 – 12:56 | | NIL and college football landscape | 18:45 – 22:02 | | The enigma of Texas football | 22:02 – 24:39 | | Maturity and therapy | 24:39 – 27:28 | | On Fernando Mendoza as a prospect | 27:28 – 28:43 |

Additional Context

• Manziel’s humility and candor are especially noteworthy given his public history—Cowherd and listeners alike remark on the transformation compared to a decade ago.
• He discusses the importance of good mentorship, therapy, and honest self-reflection as the foundation for personal development.
• The candid football analysis is clear, but the episode is most memorable for Manziel’s evolved worldview and sincere desire to help young athletes avoid his mistakes.

Conclusion

This episode stands out for its raw honesty and reflection. Johnny Manziel’s appearance isn’t just about football—it’s about second chances, growth, and mentoring others by sharing the hard lessons only he could learn the hard way.

“If you come into my life and interact with me in the streets, I want you to leave with an interaction with me that was funny, that was fun and that made you feel good.” – Johnny Manziel, [26:55]