AAF Week 4 is upon us, and there has been a lot of news circulating around the league this past week. News of potential incoming players, a lawsuit, and even the AAF logo popping up in a prominent place has kept the league in the front of the mind of many new viewers. Here’s a wrap up of what you might have missed this week:
Manziel to the AAF?
Former Cleveland Browns first-round pick and Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel was released from his contract by the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. Not only was Manziel released, but he’s also been banned by the league. With the CFL no longer an option and the NFL out of his reach, the attention turned to the AAF to see if he would be an option there.
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Would the 2012 Heisman winner Manziel be a good fit for the AAF? The league has looked to get quarterbacks with name recognition in the past, such as Tim Tebow and Colin Kaepernick. It’d be hard to argue that Manziel wouldn’t be a big name get. He’d be assigned to the San Antonio Commanders as a part of the league’s territory system, and the league has reached out about him. Would he be that big of an improvement over Logan Woodside without knowing the playbook? Time will tell to see if Johnny Football becomes Johnny Alliance.
Lawsuit Against The AAF
After three successful weeks, the AAF found itself on the receiving end of a lawsuit from Robert Vanech. Vanech, the CFO of Treble Music, claims he had a handshake agreement with AAF co-founder Charlie Ebersol for a lot of the ideas that went into the league. The AAF has denied Vanech’s claims and put out a statement on Monday (h/t CBS Sports):
“Mr. Vanech’s claim is without merit. There was never any agreement, oral or written, between Mr. Vanech and Mr. Ebersol relating to The Alliance. We remain focused solely on our historic, inaugural season when each weekend over 400 players get an opportunity to showcase their talents and fulfill their dreams of playing professional football.”
No word on how the lawsuit will proceed going forward, but it is definitely something for the upstart league to overcome in its first season.
Notable Names Battling Injury
Some key players from AAF squads didn’t participate in practices this week, according to NoExtraPoints.com. Memphis running back Zac Stacy was out with an illness but should be ready for Saturday’s game. San Diego could be without two key defenders against Memphis. Linebacker A.J. Tarpley (back) and defensive lineman Damontre Moore (knee) were both out of practice on Thursday. Both are still listed on the starting lineups for the Fleet as of now. Finally, San Antonio wide receiver Mekale McKay did not participate in practice on Thursday. His Commanders take on the Birmingham Iron on Sunday, and he’s listed as questionable.
Jerry Jones: AAF Fan
The NFL Scouting Combine is underway, and on Friday Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones was spotted wearing some fresh AAF merchandise.
https://twitter.com/AllianceFF/status/1101522077578915841
No word yet on which team Jerry might buy and turn into America’s AAF Team. More likely, Jones is just a fan wanting the upstart league to succeed and work as a developmental avenue for the NFL.
