Skip Bayless admits fault for missing the signs of Johnny Manziel’s struggles and now recognizes it as a cry for help.
In the new documentary ‘Untold: Johnny Football’, Manziel opens up about attempting suicide after hitting rock bottom.
While the episode reveals startling details about Manziel, it disappoints fans by not addressing his short NFL career.
Bayless shared on his podcast, ‘The Skip Bayless Show’, that he had spoken to Manziel around the time when things started spiraling for him but failed to realize something was wrong despite certain observations.
He recalls encountering Manziel before a show recording with Kevin Hart and noticing the quarterback’s pale and worn appearance, which shocked him.
“He didn’t look very good,” Bayless noted. “He looked a little pale. A little weak. A little worn. And I was shocked.”
“We had some adult small talk. ‘How’s the weather’ kind of talk. ‘How you doing’ kind of talk,” Bayless continued. “He was on his best behavior. He was talking to the adults. But as I look back on that moment, I look at it as a quiet cry for help and I wish I’d been listening, but I wasn’t. When I went down to tape my episode with Kevin, Johnny stayed.”
Bayless now sees this encounter as a plea for assistance that he regrets not recognizing. He wishes he had taken the opportunity to have a heart-to-heart conversation with Manziel, as he believes he could have potentially helped.
“I know Johnny looked up to me,” he aded. “I know Johnny appreciated the fact that I was mostly in his corner, up until the Draft. And I just wish I’d known enough to sit down and actually have a heart-to-heart with Johnny. Maybe I could have helped. I’m pretty good at that if I know help is wanted and or needed. But I didn’t see it. I didn’t listen to my instincts.”
While Bayless was a big fan of Manziel and believed he had the potential to be as popular as LeBron James in Cleveland, he acknowledges that Manziel looking up to him is not the case.
Got a story or tip for us? Email TMSPN editors at [email protected]
Want More From The World Wide Leader in Sports Entertainment?
For all the latest breaking in sports entertainment news, be sure to follow TMSPN.com on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
