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What I hear: Lorenzo Reyes explains in detail how the release of Johnny Manziel means that his stay in Canada is over and that he will have to look elsewhere to play football.
UNITED STATES TODAY & # 39; HUI

Johnny Manziel's camp has been in contact with Alliance of American Football officials over the possibility of joining the league, said Thursday AAF President Tom Dundon at USA TODAY Sports.

Dundon testified that the league and Manziel's camp were put in touch within 24 hours of the exclusion of the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner from the Canadian Football League and that the AAF had offered him the opportunity to train for his teams.

Dundon, who became president of the AAF earlier this month after making a nine-figure investment in the league, said it was not clear for the moment whether Manziel would accept the training offer. The commanders of San Antonio hold Manziel's rights under the league's college allocation system, but the staff of the eight AAF teams will be invited to the potential training session, said Dundon.

Alouettes quarterback Johnny Manziel had a pass in a CFL game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on August 3. (Photo: Eric Bolte, USA TODAY Sports)

"At the moment, it's a decision of the general managers, and they can decide what they want to do," Dundon told USA TODAY Sports.

"If the talent is close, the downside of him is that he has a lot of trouble with him and that you are trying to win games and build a team, and the good thing is that he catches the fans' attention."

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The action network first reported the contact between Manziel and the AAF.

Manziel's agent, Erik Burkhardt, did not respond to USA TODAY Sports' multiple requests for comment on Thursday.

Manziel, 26, was released by the Montreal Alouettes on Wednesday and was barred from signing with any other CFL team after violating an agreement with the league. The CFL has not revealed either the specific stipulations of this agreement, or those of them that have been violated by Manziel.

Shortly after the announcement of the new, Manziel wrote on Twitter that he was "eager to explore new options in the United States". AAF is midway through its inaugural season and another spring league, the XFL, will begin in 2020.

An XFL spokesman told USA TODAY Sports that the league had no contact with Manziel or his representatives.

If Manziel selects the AAF, Dundon said the former NFL first-round pick would be rated "like any other player" and that he would not be offered a special contract because of his name. Each FAA player receives a three-year contract valued at $ 250,000.

"Everyone has the same," Dundon said. "It will never change."

As part of the league award process, commanders would have the first chance to sign Manziel as he was playing college football at Texas A & M. The other teams could then sign it if San Antonio refused.

Cody Bays, a spokesman for the commanders, said in an email to USA TODAY Sports that the team had no direct contact with Manziel or his representatives early Thursday afternoon. He noted that Manziel's camp had been in contact with the league.

Why Manziel was excluded from the CFL remains a mystery, and the details could play a role in the next step. He was released by the Browns in 2016 due to a series of incidents occurring in the field and a lack of production. He was charged with assault for allegedly hitting his ex-girlfriend in 2016. The charge was dismissed after Manziel entered into a conditional dismissal agreement.

AAF spokespeople did not respond to an email asking for information about the league's personal conduct policy, among other matters relating to Manziel.

Follow Kevin Allen on Twitter @ByKevinAllen. Contact Tom Schad at [email protected] or on Twitter @ Tom_Schad.

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