Untold (TV Series) Johnny Football (2023) User Reviews

Just Like Johnny Manziel this Film is more entertaining than it should be

[KinoBuff2021 · 8/10 · 14 August 2023]

'UNTOLD: Johnny Football' (2023) is easy to love even if you hate it/him. Just like Johnny Manziel this episode in Netflix's documentary anthology series is arrogant, larger than life, and entertaining regardless if you like it or not.

Like Manziel, its pretty good despite not being actually being that good. It both overachieves and underachieves as a documentary, but is so remarkably entertaining despite it feeling incomplete and Manziel showing little remorse for his actions.

This documentary/episode follows a typical narrative of rise to stardom and subsequent fall, but offers actual admittance of actions from Johnny Manziel, his family, and friends. If you are American you likely know the story, but this will short doc will keep expressing shock and amazement with what Manziel has done with his life in such a short time.

Its biased. Its arrogant. Its fun. But most importantly its entertaining and worth watching!

If You're Not From Cleveland, You Won't Understand

[lmcfalcon12 · 8/10 · 11 August 2023]

I've lived in Cleveland all my life and remember when and where I was when Johnny was drafted. At the time, he was a colossal pain to a city who put a ton of faith and pressure on the shoulders of a kid. Not everyone is built for that, and he certainly was not. I didn't have sympathy for him at the time, but I certainly do now.

This piece doesn't excuse any of his bad behavior or actions and in fact, society could have done a bit more to make him truly accountable. If you're not from Cleveland, you didn't have the opportunity to watch this kid implode first-hand. I think he's learned a lot and still has a lot to learn. If you've experienced substance abuse or mental illness first-hand, you'll have a soft spot for him in the end and hopefully wish him well in the future; you can't help but feel sad for him.

An enjoyable 72 minutes

[jotamura · 8/10 · 17 October 2023]

Discover the iconic rise, the tragic fall, and the indelible impact of a football legend in Untold: Johnny Football. This stunning documentary covers the tumultuous journey of Heisman-winning quarterback Johnny Manziel from an in-depth and personal angle that even hardcore football fans who lived through the Manziel Madness had never seen.

The documentary uses head coach Cliff Kingsbury's perfect description of what made Manziel so special to depict how Manziel's electrifying and unique play style left fans in a frenzy. His exceptional talent was evident from the first game of the year. As the season went on, the craze kept growing, and number two Texas A&M jerseys lined the stands. Everyone wanted a piece of the madness; he was invited to countless A-list parties and surrounded by fans wherever he went. In less than a year of upsetting powerhouses and entertaining fans, Manziel rose to stardom and left his mark. After a season of his Heisman-winning play and lovable media personality, fans would never forget Johnny Football.

While viewing this documentary, people gain an opening into Manziel's unseen battles and insight into his eccentric behavior as the media depiction of an incredible success didn't accurately display the true story. Manziel wasn't ready for the spotlight; his dad recalls the terrified look on Manziel's face after catching sight of the immense size of the crowds chanting his name. Fans familiar with the situation may have rebuked Manziel's efforts to make money off his autograph. However, watchers gain a new perspective as they see the greed in the stark contrast between the estimated over 1 billion profit for Texas A&M and the broke college lifestyle of a 1500-dollar monthly stipend. A viewer sees and empathizes with how Manziel's inexperience and shock led to his struggles with drugs, drinking, and partying. The documentary illuminates Manziel's lack of support as frustration and unhealthy confidence cloud his mind.

The documentary captivates the viewer's attention and compels them to think and analyze Manziel's journey long after the film has finished. The documentary is a must-watch as although fans may have known about his well-documented rise, it changes the media's negative narrative as it forces empathy and compassion with Manziel's struggles. The documentary's raw and unflinching depiction of Manziel's journey and struggles and the "untold" narratives combine to create an elaborate story that everyone must tune into.

A story of a frat boy who just never grew up...

[joebloggscity · 7/10 · 20 April 2024]

I'm coming from the outside on this one, having very little (if not practicaly no) knowledge of the general culture and stories around American Football, especially not the college ball scene. To all of us outside of the US, the strength of the college football scene is incredible.

As for this guy, Johnny 'Football' Manziel, it's not exactly a new story in sport. Across every major sport, there's 1000 of these stories, and we can all highlight some major similarities from Europe, for example Freddy Adu, Islam Feruz, Delle Alli and so on. Great talents who never reached the great heights once forecast for them. We all even know a guy from our school days who we grew up who could fit in this category too.

This is an interesting documentary, although I acknowledge having read up further after watching this documentary, that there is a lot of different ways to tell the story and that also much is missing. However, it doesn't paint the guy out to be any angel, and there's no real Road to Damscus moments either. He is just at heart a record breaking college frat boy who just couldn't grow out of that trance.

The documentary gives enough talking heads to give some opinion and colour, and despite any negative comments, he does manage to reach the NFL when so many others don't even come close. We see though his lack of maturity and responsibility, so no one is surprised on how it all pans out.

I found it very interesting. Happy to see that the documentary doesn't try to pin the blame on others, and all the player himself to take the flak at the end. A fine documentary in what has been a fine series on Netflix.

Well done documentary

[deanzywicki · 10/10 · 10 August 2023]

I remember watching Johnny Football come onto the scene in 2012. A meteoric rise and a tragic fall. This story follows the same arc of so many other college athletes. With so much money involved in college sports, it's no wonder these kids get into so many bad situations.

Johnny made some bad choices but I do respect him for baring it all in this documentary. He was exciting to watch in college and became bigger than the game with so many people and institutions wanting to capitalize on his success. When you see stories like this and other stories where money corrupts a persona and a situation, you wonder what stories will be told once NIL is determined to be a bad thing for college sports.

Mental Health, Fame, & College Football

[missbritt09 · 9/10 · 18 August 2023]

Ya'll ... this is about the world of college football and the pressures in the current social media driven world. People (the college, alumni, tabloids, Adidas, betting pools, and who knows who else) we're making $$$$$$$$$$$$$ off this kid (college student). You might not like him, but he had a crazy experience as a kid (under 21) that was unprecedented and exploitative. I do not think there was malice behind his exploitation, rather a need for the system to change and update with the times. This is a nod to mental health in sports and in young adulthood. More people need to watch with an open mind. JFF 👍🏻 Thanks & Gig 'em.

Really Enjoyed This!

[Maxax777 · 9/10 · 10 August 2023]

I really enjoyed this episode of Untold Stories - Manziel and the whole Johnny Football, Texas A&M story and the SEC - was super fun! Manziel was a fantastically talented guy - but it just really wasn't his thing. But it was fun! Watching Manziel was kind of like watching Captain Jack Sparrow playing football!! Manziel's Heisman winning explosion was one for the ages!!! I sincerely wish Manziel health and happiness into the future. After that - it's kind of hard to say much else about the show without giving away spoilers - but it was a great documentary story! Heck, they could honestly make a whole Johnny Football movie! Who knows, maybe they will.

Feels like half a documentary

[Jblum5 · 5/10 · 11 August 2023]

Johnny Manziel is a polarizing character in the sports world so it makes sense that his documentary would bw too. The rise of Manziel was very well done. Pacing is well done, Manziel is very charismatic and take's from his handlers, his parents, his coaches including a ton from Kliff Kingsbury was usually gripping, funny and entertaining.

Why this doesn't work if the breakdown of his time with the Browns feels very rushed compared to his time at Texas A&M. They went from covering to Game by Game to not covering a single game. Then his CFL and other football endeavors after he was kicked out of the NFL went completely uncovered.,This is such a big part of his legacy (he was demoted to 4th string QB on the Hamilton Tigercats) and it is not even touched upon., This documentary feels like it came out in 20165 in that regard which is disappointing.

This then comes off as feeling like a ego boosting puff piece for a guys whose ego doesn't need one. So ultimately I did enjoy what i got here, the tone seems really off. It is not a good piece of journalism but it get me entertained. Throw in some fun celebrity cameos and it isn't a terrible watch .., but not a must watch.

Not bad, but not great either lol

[brown_recidivist · 5/10 · 12 August 2023]

I didn't mind it but I felt like this documentary had a lot of things missing. It would have been nice had they focused on his childhood upbringing, his bipolar disorder and why he got kicked out of the CFL. Instead, they focused on his one season at Texas A&M. And brushed everything else aside. His career in cleveland was barely covered as well. They did talk about his partying ways but he doesn't seem to think it's a problem. Even his sister didn't have much hope about his future which was odd. I don't know what was netflix's intention but they did not portray him in a positive light at all.

This Failed Johnny

[shrimpheads-78954 · 4/10 · 12 August 2023]

Watching this documentary, you never feel any sympathy for Johnny. He comes off as a complete jerk who has not matured at all, who has no regrets despite an epic fail that was obviously the result of very poor, regrettable choices, and as someone who was clearly enhancing his natural talents.

I feel like there is a decent human being with deep regrets and a potential for redemption. A good journalist / filmmaker would have tapped into that Johnny, or let us know that that Johnny doesn't exist.

Ultimately this tells you nothing g interesting or real and it's not worth watching, which is sad because Johnny Football was magic.

Lots of questions left unanswered

[gmcamilleri · 4/10 · 13 August 2023]

I have seen a few of these Untold documentaries and most of them leave a lot unanswered. This documentary is one of them.

They gloss over the "I was going to commit suicide" quote by Johnny. Well, has he gotten any help for that? Johnny was doing cocaine, meth and abusing alcohol. Then they show him at the end of the movie drinking with his buddies. This means he is still an addict. Maybe they should have asked Manziel some questions on his sobriety.

Johnny Manziel is still denying a lot of things. He feels sorry for himself because he went from one fish bowl at Texas A & M to another fish bowl in Cleveland. Well, this is the life of a professional athlete; yet you do not see the successful athletes going to Vegas before games or drinking heavily before the combine. He is still immature. He still needs to admit that he screwed up.

He has learned nothing. This unsympathetic hasbeen won't make it to 40.

[lbz_1979 · 1/10 · 11 August 2023]

Unreal how a guy can completely learn nothing after destroying everything in his life. Partying, drinking and drugs destroy his career, "marriage" and looks (he looks 45 not 29) yet he wouldn't change a thing? He is either lying to himself or is just refusing to admit his failures publicly.

He comes across as an arrogant jerk who has nothing to be arrogant about. He peaked at 20 and by all accounts has done nothing with his life for 10 years and most likely will drink himself into liver failure by the age of 40.

If the director's motive was to make his subject look like a loser and generate no sympathy for him, he succeeded. Most people in Manziel's situation would want to come across as apologetic and sympathetic. Manziel does the opposite. He comes across as a truly horrible person. There will be no redemption story. He will end up in a gutter with a fifth of Fleischman's Vodka in his hand and no one outside of his immediate family will care. The signs are there; bloated face, red face due to broken blood vessels from excessive drinking, looking 15 years older than his age, and on and on and on.

A simple Google and LinkedIn search reveals he hasn't had a steady job the last 8 years... failed car salesman, failed real estate agent, etc.

This documentary should be retitled: Johnny Failure: Life's Biggest Loser.

A subject of no substance....and a wasted opportunity

[noellew-10369 · 1/10 · 13 August 2023]

That's what we see. An over-indulged and over-indulgent man-child squandering his magnificent gift in favor of a pleasure seeking hedonistic lifestyle. We've seen it all before played out by the complicit media serving the scandal-happy public. And I confess that there can be a guilty pleasure watching self-important figures taken down a notch or 20.... But this story is not satisfying even to the most ardent fan. Johnny is clearly off the rails early on. But he's a moneymaker and beyond pearl-clutching and stern talk real consequences are not considered an option.

When he completely unravels - to nobody's surprise or particular concern - it is briefly floated that he is diagnosed as bi-polar. So there - we have an avenue to explore. Let's see a professional or 2 talk about how this condition is related to his mental state of complete chaos. That is a topic that can enlighten, engage, and help the viewer adjust to a lens of empathy and compassion (where none was really plausible before). It could have made his saga into a "teachable moment" and potentially a wake-up call for millions of people.

Shame on all involved in this sensationalist empty pablum.

Its a no for me

[jasmijnvdbos · 2/10 · 11 August 2023]

As a sports fan from Europe, ive never heard of Johnny Manziel, but ive liked the other Untold docs, so I watched this one aswell. For me it was a wast of time. After die docu I only thought that he had it all coming. Of you wanna party, take drugs and take zero responsibilities, then this is what you get.. if im missing the point, then Netflix didnt tell it right. For me there is no bigger picture after seeing this. He just looks like a frat boy and thats it.

If there is more behind Johnny, then im sorry for him, because Netflix did him wrong. If not, Netflix did a good job, but its kinda not worth your time time. Its the cliché story of somebody who couldnt handle the short fame and acted like a ass.

This documentary lets down Johnny almost as bad as his parents did...

[Airman87 · 5/10 · 19 August 2023]

The most I can say about the way this documentary was pieced together is, it really makes Johnny look just how everyone sees him: A kid whose parents are 100% the reason Johnny ended up the way he did in life; parents letting Johnny do whatever he wants, and parents who would lie and be unethical to help their kid advance his way through life rather than force change and take accountability. I wonder if the parents are that tone deaf to even realize how badly they came off in this documentary.

For those familiar with Manziel and his story, this documentary offers little in terms of new material. At best, it just reaffirms suspicions most college football fans had about the rampant drinking, partying, alcohol, and improper benefits. The construction of this documentary was poorly laid out. Manziel's lightning-in-the-bottle, SEC record setting freshman season at Texas A&M was glossed over in less than 10 minutes of total content to pave way for the longer, drawn-out story of improper benefits (selling autographs). Scheming sobriety for the draft was a large portion of the film, as well. Manziel's season with the Cleveland Browns and his performance meltdown was incredibly terse, choosing to highlight battles off-field rather than on-field performances. About 90% of this documentary was solely focused on improper benefits and Johnny's addictions. What happened after Johnny's time with the Browns is completely omitted, as if it never even happened, including getting kicked out of the CFL.

The only way I'd tell someone to watch this documentary is if they needed help clearing their conscious, so that they don't feel any empathy toward the Manziel's...

Don't feel sorry for this guy

[wtyczka-88716 · 2/10 · 21 August 2023]

Usually when you watch an untold episode you feel some sadness or remorse for the person. This episode just solidifies how dumb manziel is. I mean kudos for living in the present and enjoying your moment. Probably knew he'd never amount to anything in the NFL. I don't feel sorry for him after watching this. He obviously had a substance abuse problem that his parents and coaches didn't do anything about. Maybe he could have been something more if he actually trained and cared about his life, career, etc. That's just one opinion, I'm sure he had a ton of fun at the time. Maybe he did learn something from all of this. Anyway, there is nothing new in this episode you probably didn't know from before. Still an entitled football player acting as if he did it all. Wonder what Mike Evans thinks about it.

Unwatchable.

[msghall · 2/10 · 10 August 2023]

Johnny Manziel has a story to tell but it is not this amateurish mish-mash of dated quick cuts and inept editing. The choppiness of the delivery takes away any cohesiveness in the presentation. The dizzying quick cuts leave you puzzled about what you just saw because it's gone before you can soak it in. Netflix has been scraping the bottom of the barrel for the last couple of years but this must be some kind of nadir. I wanted to find out more about Johnny Football and see his history of great plays but instead we have only seconds of each play cut up in a mish mash. You learn nothing about the man and even less about the game in which Manziel played. You get the feeling that director Duffy is more into his own gig rather than that of his subjects.

This story isn't over

[bens-41508 · 5/10 · 19 August 2023]

Whether you like or dislike Manziel this doc probably won't change your mind. I am not a fan of his but I love redemption stories so I hope he finds a redemptive life path off the field. His rise and fall was spectacular so it is a pretty fascinating story, but it definitely feels like the story hasn't ended.

He is still a relatively young man. Hopefully he finds someone or something that inspires him to do something meaningful in the future. He's got plenty of time. Maybe if he gives less attention to serving himself and more attention to serving others he will find something positive that motivates him. Even though I am not a fan of his, I am still rooting for him to succeed at something else in his future. Would be great if he became famous for something else l.

Its fine I guess....other Untold docs were much better though

[jessmchanson-74293 · 4/10 · 12 August 2023]

It was alright I guess. I didn't mind it too too much, but perhaps the disgusting arrogance of Johnny Manziel is what put me off. Within the first 5 minutes I was thinking "did this person learn NOTHING? Clearly not." He thinks swearing makes him hard and cool, and he seeps "I'm better than you" attitude all over from the get-go. He doesn't seem to think he did anything wrong, that partying makes him the coolest person on the planet, and didn't learn a single thing or thing anything he did was even wrong because he's "Johnny Football". Gross. In other Untold docs, you at least see that the subjects are truly good people, learned something, are somewhat humble or at least LIKABLE people.... but this guy is not at all. He makes me sick to even listen to.

Trash doc with 80% college hype and 20% rushed demise

[Xavier_Stone · 1/10 · 7 September 2023]

Like many other reviewers have pointed out, the film maker completely misses out on so many of his history. Zero footage of him in the NFL? Come on. No talk of the CFL stint. All college stuff and some interviews with him admitting his drinking and partying attitude.

Perhaps this is some PR stunt to get him another chance at football, or build up some relations so he actually gets noticed other than a failed real estate agent. Or anything.

Just mostly a college doc from a failed film maker who couldn't get any NFL footage. Why are you making a doc about an NFL quarterback and can't provide any clips of his games?

Perhaps this is a self funded vanity project on the cheap. Anyways, it shouldn't have been made, and not to be watched. More like a commercial than anything else. 1/10 for poor self promotion.