The backstory behind Johnny Manziel's first commercial is as interesting, if not more so, than the spot itself.
The ad, for a Cleveland-area Nissan dealer, isn't bad as local car dealership spots come (although the bar is pretty low).
Manziel delivers some lines and then appears to drop back and throw a football through the window of a Nissan Altima. Here's the spot:
At first, the stunt may appear fake. But it turns out that Manziel actually did throw the football through the car's window. According to reports, it was a 40-yard throw into a car that was going 25 mph.
And Manziel's strike was so accurate that it hit the stunt driver in the face:
"Manziel made a perfect throw into the car," Bernie Moreno, president of the Collection Auto Group, told TMZ. "Everybody celebrated except the driver who got out the car with a huge welt on his face."
Manziel, of course, does have some notable trick shot experience.
As it turns out, the commercial was arranged for Manziel by his marketing firm, LRMR. That company's biggest client is another soon-to-be Cleveland sports star, LeBron James. The firm was founded by James' childhood friend, Maverick Carter.
"The connection actually started with Lebron and Maverick Carter," Moreno told Cleveland.com. "They've been phenomenal clients of ours for the last nine years, even after he moved to Miami -- not only LeBron but his friends and associates. He's been a super-loyal client and it was a natural for when they got Johnny to really present it to us and give us that opportunity."
After the shoot Moreno had only positive things to say about the Browns rookie quarterback, who has been questioned for his off-the-field decision making.
"He has a lot of charisma," Moreno said. "He's a naturally nice guy. He cares deeply. Despite some of the fringy things you see out there, I think in his heart he's a really good person, the kind of person that just wants to win and bring a championship to Cleveland, there's no question in my mind about that."
