Manziel issues put focus on discipline at Super Bowl

SAN FRANCISCO — Johnny Manziel is in serious trouble and perhaps fighting for his life, literally and as an NFL player.

Dallas police on Friday announced they are launching a criminal investigation into a domestic violence assault complaint against the Cleveland Browns quarterback, this coming after Manziel's father said if his son doesn't soon get help for his issues, "he won't live to see his 24th birthday."

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was asked during his annual Super Bowl news conference about Manziel's case and, in a broader sense, if it causes the league to take a larger role beyond normal investigative and disciplinary measures.

"I have said this many times over the last year," Goodell said. "There is a tremendous amount of focus, and I understand it, from the public and the media on discipline. That is a small part of our personal conduct policy. Our personal conduct policy is to try to prevent these incidents from happening.

"We have 3,000 players a year. We have probably at least a half, maybe two-thirds that turn over in any given year. We have young people that may have issues that need to be addressed. We will always look to see how we can help them make those adjustments, to try to help them deal with any issues they might have for their long-term safety."

Paul Manziel told reporters his family tried to get his son into rehab twice in the past week, but he had left twice.

Manziel's ex-girlfriend reportedly got a protection order against him in which he must stay at least 500 feet from her home and place of work for two years.

Manziel allegedly struck his ex-girlfriend several times at a downtown Dallas hotel on Saturday.

• THE MARIJUANA ISSUE — Former players Jim McMahon and Kyle Turley have led the charge nationally for more research into the benefits of medical marijuana for dealing with health issues that come after an NFL career.

Goodell was asked if the league's strict policy — marijuana use is still illegal in the NFL — will soften any time soon.

"We always review our drug policy," he said. "That is something that our medical professionals do on a regular basis. We have had discussions with them in the past about that, not recently. We are not restricted obviously by the state laws. It's an NFL policy, and we believe it's the correct policy, for now, in the best interest of our players and the long-term health of our players.

"I don't foresee a change in that clearly in the short term, but we'll continue to be in touch with our medical personnel. I don't distinguish between the medical marijuana and the marijuana issue. Yes, I agree there has been changes (in laws across the country), but not significant enough changes that our medical personnel have changed their view. Until they do, then I don't expect that we will change our view."

• PRO BOWL WOES — Historic low TV ratings are not something the NFL in 2016 is either used to or accepts, and yet that's exactly what transpired with this year's Pro Bowl.

Has the annual game outgrown any real interest from fans, and is there a chance it might be eliminated in the near future?

"I am not going to speculate on where the Pro Bowl is going, but I was disappointed in what I saw on Sunday," Goodell said. "I think we want to talk with more players about that, we want to talk to our coaches about it, we want to talk to our personnel about it. I think it is very important to have a stage in which you celebrate our great players for what they do on and off the field.

"We may have to think about that differently than we have in the past. I think our biggest standard has to be what we expect from the NFL and what our fans expect from the NFL. If it is not quality, and if it is not real competition that we can be proud of, then we have to do something different."

Ed Graney can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618. He can be a heard on "Seat and Ed" on Fox Sports 1340 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. On Twitter: @edgraney