Last time we checked in with swan-riding, champagne-swigging Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel, he was hurling water bottles at the haters and receiving the now-predictable critical missives about his "maturity." Today brings some dire news Johnny Football's beloved (by us) money sign dance.
"The money sign will not be back. I will not be making it out there," Manziel told reporters Wednesday in his first statement since leaving rehab in April.
Sniff. RIP money sign.
Let's take the time to properly mourn, to remember the good times—the times when life was chill, the beers were flowin', and the money signs flew free. Johnny Football might be dead, but his spirit lives forever in our hearts and Getty Image searches for "Johnny Manziel celebrates." Let's take a walk down memory lane, shall we?
That time Johnny Manziel beat Alabama as a freshman and became a national hero (2013)
The first recorded documentation of Johnny Football's trademark celebration appears at the same time Johnny Football first emerged in the national consciousness for taking down No. 1 Alabama as a college freshman. In the Associated Press recap, they write "Johnny Manziel, better known around Texas as Johnny Football." Around Texas?! How time flies. How innocent we once were. We were so young.
That time Johnny Manziel got suspended for the first half of a game for selling his autographs and then got benched later for taunting but it didn't matter because he threw for three touchdowns (2013)
This appearance of the money sign marks the emergence of Johnny-Football-as-villain; after winning the Heisman, nothing was the same. From an ESPN wire story following the game:
Johnny Manziel spent the summer under scrutiny for his actions off the field. His antics Saturday are sure to keep the spotlight on him.
That time Johnny Football did the money sign celebration in a meaningless preseason game, which….OK (2014)
At this point, nobody knew how garbage Johnny Football was about to be in the pros, so this money sign celebration was only a minor footnote in the AP recap.
That time Johnny Football's entourage got in a brawl like a week before the game and then did the money sign celebration after scoring a touchdown in garbage time because he is the king (2014)
At 2:36 a.m. on November 22, 2014, Mr. Football and his entourage were involved in a brawl at the 9 Hotel in Cleveland. On November 30, with the Browns losing 20-3 in the 4th quarter, Manziel rushed for a 10-yard touchdown AND THEN DID THE MONEY SIGN CELEBRATION WHY DO WE WANT HIM TO STOP DOING THIS ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED
That time someone sacked Johnny Football and then did the money sign dance to mock him : ( (2014)
Who is that Cincinnati Bengal mocking Johnny Football? (It's Brandon Thompson). But does it matter? It doesn't matter. Nothing does.
Michael Rosen is a reporter for Fusion based out of Oakland.