Riders deny rumours of Manziel workout

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are once again under the CFL microscope for alleged violations.

CFL blog site 3DownNation has reported the Roughriders worked out Johnny Manziel last month in Florida.

The major problem with that, if it were true, is Johnny Manziel's CFL negotiating rights belong to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. 

Since the Saskatchewan Roughriders were caught and fined for roster violations last season, the team — and particularly Head Coach and GM Chris Jones — have become lightning rods for criticisms and accusations.

• Saskatchewan Roughriders fined $60,000 for roster violations

• Saskatchewan Roughriders GM Chris Jones accepts CFL fine for roster violations

And now rumours of tampering and working out another team's player ignited a Twitter war between Rider fans and the rest of the football world.

If the alleged Manziel workout is true, let's put aside the trouble the Riders would be in from the league office for now. Even if they had rights to work out Johnny Manziel, it's also troubling on so many other fronts.

Manziel is not just any player. He's known to football fans across North America for bad reasons as well as good.

Johnny Manziel, nicknamed Johnny Football, is not exactly a poster boy for good behaviour.

Any success he has had in his football career has usually been followed by a period of self-destructiveness. Violating team policies — college and the NFL — on countless occasions is the least of it.

The former Heisman trophy winner and first-round pick of the Cleveland Browns was suspended by the NFL last year for violating their substance abuse policy.

In 2016, Manziel was also charged with domestic violence involving his ex-girlfriend. He was alleged to have threatened to kill her and himself.

Following defence of those charges, Manziel's attorney expressed concerns about Manziel's ability to stay clean.

Manziel's own father told ESPN, "He's a druggie. Jail would be the best place for him."

Johnny Manziel the football player can be magical. He is very flutiesque in the way he plays — that is, he could be another Doug Flutie for the CFL.

But he comes with so much baggage, the Riders' so-called Code of Conduct may as well be just a tabloid in the stadium office washroom.

If there's any truth the Riders worked out another team's player, Kent Austin now wouldn't likely trade his rights to Saskatchewan anyway.

The Riders deny they ever worked out Johnny Manziel and were talking legal action against the source of the rumours.

Chris Jones released a statement Thursday afternoon.

"The Saskatchewan Roughriders have not held or attended a workout involving Johnny Manziel. With that, I will not be commenting further on the report."

Manziel's own spokesperson claims Manziel has never worked out for any CFL team.

The CFL is investigating the matter.  

Never a dull day in Riderville.