Tiger-Cats' Jones praises Manziel's attitude, predicts NFL return
Johnny Manziel has made a very positive first impression on June Jones, head coach of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
"I've been pleasantly surprised the last three weeks what a good teammate he is, how smart he is, how he sees the game,'' Jones told David Newton of ESPN. "He should be playing in the National Football League and I believe he will when he gets through with us.''
Manziel reignited his career in May by signing a two-year contract with the Tiger-Cats after spending the last couple of years addressing his well-documented issues off the gridiron.
The former Heisman Trophy winner and Cleveland Browns first-round pick impressed in the preseason, but served as the backup quarterback for Jeremiah Masoli in Hamilton's opening contest of the regular season.
"It'll take two years,'' Jones said of Manziel's desired return to the NFL. "They're (NFL executives, coaches) waiting to see that he's taken care of his off-the-field problems.''
Jones also described Manziel as "humble," and added that "he's growing up every day."
The 25-year-old Manziel is expected to be Masoli's backup again Friday when the 0-1 Tiger-Cats take on the Edmonton Eskimos.