Johnny Manziel, the former Texas A&M quarterback who famously declared just two years ago that he’d “never get involved in politics,” is now officially hitting the campaign trail alongside President Donald Trump. Manziel is set to join a multi-stop campaign blitz through Texas this Tuesday, a move that’s raising more than a few eyebrows given his past statements.
Gridiron Greats Hitting the Stump
Manziel won’t be alone. He’s teaming up with two other former Texas college football standouts, former Texas Longhorns signal-caller Colt McCoy and former New England Patriots star and Texas Tech alum Danny Amendola. Their mission? To promote Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s bid for U.S. Senate as the November midterms rapidly approach. Axios’ Alex Isenstadt reported Monday that this powerhouse trio will join the president for campaign stops targeting Lubbock and Corpus Christi. This kind of team-up might seem surprising, especially for fans who remember their past connections to the political arena.
Manziel’s Reversal and Amendola’s Backlash History
Manziel’s involvement is perhaps the most head-turning. Back in January 2017, he deactivated his Twitter, now X, account shortly after posting advice to the then-first-term president, saying “Yo @POTUS even I know to stay away from the notifications section on twitter. S–t will drive you crazy, lead the country and let them hate.” Flash forward to a 2024 interview with FOX News, and Manziel was crystal clear: “Politics is probably something I will never get involved in.” Well, here we are.
Amendola also has a public history with the president. He skipped the Patriots’ April 2017 White House visit to attend a friend’s funeral, but President Trump still praised his play in the Super Bowl LI comeback against the Atlanta Falcons. Amendola tweeted his thanks, writing, “Thanks for the shout out @realDonaldTrump! in the GYM! Funeral service for my boy Jaimie Carrillo tonight! RIP-JC,” but later deleted the post after facing significant digital backlash.
McCoy’s Less Direct Path to the Campaign Trail
Colt McCoy’s connection to President Trump is a bit less direct than his fellow campaigners. McCoy retired from the NFL in 2024 and then moved into commercial real estate in Texas in 2025. His entry into the political sphere gained traction when Texas Governor Greg Abbott appointed the former Longhorns star to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) in January. The THECB is a state agency that oversees and coordinates higher education policy across Texas, giving McCoy a public platform within state governance.
With Election Day on November 3 just around the corner, and President Trump making his fourth trip to Texas in two months, this trio of gridiron legends is diving headfirst into an increasingly intense Senate race between Ken Paxton and his Democratic opponent, James Talarico. It’s going to be wild to see how this plays out on the stump before the ballots are cast.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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