Living It Up

Johnny Manziel's wild party pics make waves, but Heisman winner insists he'sstill a small-town guy

TMZ published photos of Johnny Manziel partying with a bottle of Dom Pérignon ata Dallas nightclub Avenu Lounge.
Johnny Manziel/Twitter
After posting this on Instagram, Manziel tweeted, "Nothing illegal about being18+ in a casino and winning money...KEEP HATING!"
Johnny Manziel/Twitter

To say that Johnny Manziel has had an impressive year would be an understatement. Beginning the 2012 season — Texas A&M University's first in the SEC — as a redshirt freshman, the 20-year-old quarterback quickly earned the nickname "Johnny Football," led the Aggies to an upset of No. 1 Alabama and a Cotton Bowl romp over Oklahoma, and became the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy.

After a hard-fought season, you'd think that the guy deserves to have a drink without drawing scrutiny.

"It's tough knowing that everything you do is watched pretty closely, because I'm doing the same stuff I've always done," Manziel told reporters.

But on Sunday, TMZ published photos snapped of Manziel post-OU win, a Burberry scarf around his neck, a sparkler in one hand and a bottle of Dom Pérignon in the other. As the gossip rag writes, "Manziel hit up Avenu Lounge in Dallas and as you can see in the pics ... he rather enjoyed himself."

"It's tough knowing that everything you do is watched pretty closely, because I'm doing the same stuff I've always done. It's just now people actually care what I do," Manziel told reporters on Sunday.

Among the things that people have cared about include fraternizing with scantily clad coeds at a Halloween party, scoring courtside seats to a Dallas Mavericks game and winning big at a casino.

"I'm still the same small-town guy I've always been," said Manziel, who grew up in Kerrville. "For people to recognize me everywhere I go now and how much notoriety comes along with this, it's been beyond my wildest imagination."

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Cowboys News

Post Malone will do halftime show at Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving game

Photo by Adam DeGross

Post Malone will play at AT&T Stadium in Arlington on May 9, 2025.

Global superstar Post Malone will perform the halftime show during the Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving Day 2025 game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

According to a release, the live performance will air on CBS on November 27 at 3:30 pm and marks the launch of The Salvation Army's Red Kettle Campaign, putting a national spotlight on the needs of millions during the holiday season and all year long.

When he was young, Malone's family moved to the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex after his father, Rich Post, took a job with the Dallas Cowboys as the assistant director of food and beverage at AT&T Stadium; he's remained close with the Gene and Jerry Jones family and the Cowboys organization.

In a statement, Malone calls it an honor.

"I'm from Texas. I grew up a Cowboys fan and have been watching this halftime show for years," said Post Malone. "It's a real honor to be part of the Red Kettle Kickoff with The Salvation Army and the Dallas Cowboys and help bring hope to so many people."

The Salvation Army operates more than 7,400 centers across the country providing food, housing, and other services year-round.

Malone has become a buzzy name at high-profile Dallas events, most recently performing at the 2025 Cattle Baron's Ball.

In addition, he's collaborated with the Dallas Cowboys on projects such as a Raising Cane's location at 2255 W. Northwest Hwy. that underwent a Post Malone-Dallas Cowboys makeover. In 2023, he collaborated with the Dallas Cowboys on a limited-edition collection of Post Malone x Dallas Cowboys merchandise featuring T-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, and shorts.

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