Johnny Manziel’s dad fears son ‘won’t live to see his 24th birthday’

Johnny Manziel’s father said Friday that he fears his son may not make it to the age of 24 if he is not rehabilitated.

In light of recent events surrounding Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel and a domestic violence incident on Jan. 29, the signal caller’s father said Friday that he fears his son may not make it to the age of 24 if he is not rehabilitated.

“I truly believe if they can’t get him help, he won’t live to see his 24th birthday,” Paul Manziel told The Dallas Morning News.

The elder Manziel said his 23-year-old son, who received treatment for his alcohol use last off-season, has declined to enter rehabilitation twice in the past week. He added that he feared Johnny to be suicidal after he was allowed to walk away from the incident without treatment or charges.

From The Dallas Morning News:

The family first tried Saturday afternoon to get Manziel, 23, to agree to go to the Enterhealth Ranch addiction facility in Van Alstyne, but he would not stay. That attempt came the day after Manziel’s former girlfriend alleged in a police report that he hit her repeatedly at a Dallas hotel and while driving her home to Fort Worth on Jan. 29. ... Paul Manziel said that he tried to have his son admitted Tuesday to Carrollton Springs Hospital, but that Johnny was allowed to leave. Paul Manziel said that he is upset that his son was allowed to walk away after Paul told a Denton County Sheriff officer that he believed Johnny to be suicidal.

Manziel’s agent, Erik Burkhardt, dropped the quarterback as a client on Friday. The two-year NFL player out of Texas A&M is expected to be released by the Browns at the start of the new league year in March.

– Kenny Ducey