Getty Former Cleveland Browns QB Johnny Manziel
The Memphis Express hold just a 1-5 record at the bottom of the Alliance of American Football standings currently. But they may be the most talked about team in the AAF over the coming days. This stems from the fact that they’ve added former college star and first-round NFL draft pick Johnny Manziel to the roster.
The news was revealed by the Express on Twitter, as they welcomed Manziel to town with a social media post, and the league made the news official just prior to that.
Welcome to the 901 @JManziel2
✈️ | #AllAboard
According to Dylan Rubino of AAF.com, the league issued a statement confirming the move and addition of Manziel. In a message from co-founder Bill Polian, he revealed that the San Antonio Commanders released his college allocation rights and the Express claimed him.
“We are pleased to welcome Johnny Manziel to the Alliance of American Football, which we’ve always described as a league of opportunity for talented players to launch or revitalize their pro football careers,” said Bill Polian, co-founder and head of football for The Alliance. “We completed extensive background work to determine whether it would be appropriate for Johnny to play this season, and after consulting with many people familiar with his situation, we concluded that it would be good for him to resume his pro football career here at The Alliance. The San Antonio Commanders have released his college allocation rights, and the Memphis Express have claimed him. He will report to Memphis tomorrow, where we all believe he’ll benefit from the coaching and mentorship of Mike Singletary.”
AAF’s Memphis Express Offensive Roster
*All rosters from the AAF official website (with Manziel added).
| Position | Player Name |
| Quarterback | Christian Hackenberg |
| Quarterback | Zach Mettenberger |
| Quarterback | Brandon Silvers |
| Quarterback | Johnny Manziel |
| Running back | Zac Stacy |
| Running back | Terrence Magee |
| Running back | Daryl Virgies |
| Running back | Anthony Manzo-Lewis |
| Wide receiver | Daniel Williams |
| Wide receiver | Gerrard Sheppard |
| Wide receiver | Dontez Byrd |
| Wide receiver | Amir Carlisle |
| Wide receiver | Alton “Pig” Howard |
| Wide receiver | Reece Horn |
| Wide receiver | Devin Lucien |
| Tight end | Brandon Barnes |
| Tight end | Adrien Robinson |
| Tight end | Cordon Moog |
| Center | Demetrius Rhaney |
| Center | Oni Omoile |
| Center | Jatitus “Ty” Allen |
| Guard | Jessamen Dunker |
| Guard | Daronte Bouldin |
| Guard | Robert Myers |
| Guard | Dallas Thomas |
| Tackle | Christian Morris |
| Tackle | Toby Weathersby |
| Tackle | Logan Tuley-Tillman |
Projected Quarterback Depth Chart
*Note: Projections based on injuries and current outlook.
| Depth Chart Order | |
| Starter | Zach Mettenberger (injury update) |
| Backup | Johnny Manziel |
| 3rd String | Brandon Silvers/Christian Hackenberg |
The move comes just hours after Express current starting quarterback Zach Mettenberger suffered an apparent left ankle injury. The severity of the injury has not been revealed, but he was removed from Saturday’s game. If he misses any time, there’s a chance Manziel could immediately see playing time.
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