Johnny Manziel Allegedly Took $7,500 To Sign Autographs… Has An Assistant Named ‘Uncle Nate’
That’s a picture of the first freshman to ever win the Heisman, and his personal assistant at a casino. Yeah, you read that right. Personal assistant. What the hell does an NCAA scholarship athlete need a personal assistant for? If ESPN’s sources are telling the truth, this man may have made a lot of dirty money for Mr. Manziel.
It looks like the first freshman Heisman trophy winner ever has bigger problems than getting kicked out of frat parties. ESPN is reporting that Manziel is being investigated by the NCAA. What did he do? Allegedly, Manziel signed a lot of autographs. Normally, that wouldn’t be a problem. However, sources told ESPN’s Outside the Lines that Manziel signed autographs for cash. One particular broker told ESPN that Manziel signed merchandise for the fee of $7,500.
Here’s where the story gets weird: Manziel has a personal assistant named Nate Fitch, who likes to be called “Uncle Nate.” Uncle Nate is a high school friend of Johnny Football that serves as Manziel’s publicist, personal assistant, designated driver, and according to ESPN’s sources, an illegal autograph operation ringleader. Allegedly, Fitch facilitated the deals between autograph brokers and Johnny Football. If that is true, Manziel and Texas A&M could be screwed: the autograph market flooded with signed Manziel merchandise after he won the Heisman. If Manziel was paid to sign even a fraction of those autographs, he could very well be banned by the NCAA.
The shit is about to hit the fan. According to CBS Sports, Texas A&M retained the law firm Lightfoot, Franklin, and White, the same firm that helped Auburn University avoid the fallout from the Cam Newton pay-to-play scandal a few years back. CBS Sports is also reporting that Manziel’s parents just put their house in College Station up for sale. Hopefully, the NCAA will relent, and not suspend Mr. Football for the rematch of Texas A&M and Alabama on September 14th. In all likelihood, everyone involved is going to shut up and let the lawyers do the talking. If Manziel gets banned, we all lose. Johnny Football is the most exciting and gifted player to watch, outside of Jadeveon Clowney.
