Johnny Manziel and Darren Waller on Mike McDaniel's Firing, Tua's Future, and Overcoming Addiction

Johnny Manziel joins Darren Waller for an in-depth conversation that explores football, personal challenges, and life beyond the game. They start by talking about Mike McDaniel getting fired and how it’s another reminder of how quickly things can shift in the NFL, even when things seem stable from the outside.

From there, they trade stories from their own careers. Johnny reflects on his time with the Browns — the pressure, the expectations, and how fast life comes at you once you’re in the league. Darren talks about his path from Georgia Tech to the Raiders to the Giants to the Dolphins, and how each stop brought a different set of challenges both on and off the field.

They also get into playing with Tua Tagovailoa, what it’s like to be in a locker room built around a franchise quarterback, and how leadership and trust develop over time. The conversation turns to Antonio Brown and Jon Gruden and that INSANE Raiders team.

Darren speaks openly about his struggles with addiction and how they impacted his career and personal life, while Johnny reflects on his own mistakes and the perspective that came from them. The episode is thoughtful and real, focused less on headlines and more on lessons, growth, and figuring out life after football.

Chapters:

0:00 - Intro

1:52 - Growing as a Person

5:22 - Coming out of Retirement

6:36 - Mike McDaniel Firing

8:49 - PrizePicks Ad

9:41 - Tua Tagovailoa’s Future

12:41 - Mike McDaniel’s Play Designs

16:40 - Stepping away from the Game

20:29 - Coming back to the NFL

24:08 - Overcoming Addiction

28:13 - LUCY Ad

29:31 - Substance Abuse and Addiction

35:06 - Joining the Raiders

37:44 - Johnny Living with Jon Gruden

39:26 - Playing for Jon Gruden and Building Self-confidence

42:31 - Playing with Jason Witten

43:49 - Brock Bowers

44:58 - Maxx Crosby and the Raiders

46:15 - Overcoming Mental Health Struggles

53:05 - PrizePicks One Word Question

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