Ryan Leaf Says He Reached Out to Johnny Manziel, Empathized With Alleged Suicidal Thoughts

Ryan Leaf was a guest on “The Drive w/ Jody, MJ & Bauer” on Fox Sports Radio’s Phoenix affiliate on Thursday. The former embattled Chargers quarterback was asked about Johnny Manziel, whose struggles have been well documented, and was alleged by his ex-girlfriend Colleen Crowley in a police report last weekend to have threatened both murder and suicide. The show’s producer Michael Bauer sent along this transcript:

"“It’s sad.  It’s like somebody’s holding a mirror up to me…’cause I can relate to a lot of it, though I didn’t get into abusing drugs until after my career was over.  I wish I could blame my career – that I played poorly because of that, but that’s not the case – it was just poor play.” “I offered my contact info – I just want to be able to say I’ve been through this and there’s a way out.  Somebody has to find their bottom.  I was at the same point as him if these reports are true, I was sitting in the garage with the car running after trying to slit my wrists.  This is where I was four-and-a-half years ago…I was spiritually bankrupt.”"

Listening to the audio, Leaf sounded very measured and empathetic.

Leaf was released from a prison in 2014, after spending about two years locked up. Leaf had been arrested twice in the same weekend for breaking into homes in Great Falls, Montana to steal prescription drugs. Two years before that, he had pled guilty to seven counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud in 2010.

Again, Leaf’s efforts to reach Manziel do seem to be sincere based on the audio snippet. Whether it comes from Leaf or elsewhere, hopefully Manziel can find the help he evidently needs.