“Why are people taking this so seriously”: CFB world reacts to Kirby Smart’s dig on Johnny Manziel

Fans have reacted to Georgia Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart's recent jab at former quarterback Johnny Manziel. On Monday, On3 shared on X a video from Warren De La Salle Pilots' offensive coordinator James Light. It featured Smart speaking at a Nike Coach of the Year Clinic.

During the speech, the Bulldogs coach presented a slideshow and asked the crowd about the similarities between Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts, Cam Newton and Manziel. One spectator said they were champions, and Smart joked about the former Texas A&M Aggies star's past partying issues.

"He ain't no champion. Champion of what? Champion of Fireball," Smart said.

The crowd laughed, and he pivoted to how all four players played well against Georgia during their college football careers.

"Alright, I'm going to go here for you. There's Heisman, right (the coach shared a slide of all four players with their Heisman Trophy)," Smart said. "They all had great days vs. our defense, okay? All four of them went off on us in some way, shape or form."

His comments generated mixed reactions from fans on X.

"Why are people taking this so seriously (loudly crying face emoji)," a fan wrote.

"If Manziel is the champion of fireball then Kirby is the leader of felons," another fan wrote.

"But takes up for guys on his team drinking fireball and getting behind the wheel," a third fan commented.

"Kirby still mad Johnny Football busted his team's a*s back in the day," another fan replied.

"Interesting comments because yes Johnny did party. But his own roster have been crashing vehicles and committing actual crimes," a fan tweeted.

"Bro should be focused on making sure ANOTHER driving incident does not happen," a sixth fan wrote.

Johnny Manziel's NFL career and retirement

Manziel has been open about his past issues with partying, including doing drugs and drinking. The 2012 Heisman Trophy winner struggled with his habits, which affected his NFL career. He played two seasons with the Cleveland Browns before being released in 2016.

One of the highlight performances of his time with the Browns was the team's 28-14 win over the Tennessee Titans on Sep. 20, 2015. He ended the game with 8-of-15 completed passes for 172 yards and two touchdowns.

During his NFL career, he completed 147 passes for 1,675 yards and seven touchdowns.

After his exit, Manziel played in several alternative leagues, including the Canadian Football League. He retired from football in 2022.

The former quarterback star has transitioned to a podcaster and hosts a show called "Glory Daze" where he speaks with retired and active NFL players. The final season wrapped with him talking to former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick. Manziel has changed his life and is enjoying his new career path.