Before winning the Heisman Trophy last season, Texas A&M star quarterback Johnny Manziel once pondered a future on the on a different kind of field with a little less physical contact.
According to USA Today, Manziel said before coming to A&M for football, he said he talked with universities baseball coaches last summer about joining the team, before beating out Jameill Showers for the starting quarterback job as a redshirt freshman.
Manziel recently threw out the ceremonial first pitch Sunday during a Texas Rangers home game. He said the only time he felt nervous before Sunday was when he heard his name announced in the Heisman Trophy announcement last December.
The nerves may have probably got to Manziel as he threw the pitch high and wide, but managed to save some dignity after Rangers first baseman Mitch Moreland snared the ball from ending elsewhere besides home plate.
"Every person kept saying, "Don't bounce it, don't bounce it,' '' Manziel said. "I was wild, a little nervous."
After the pitch, Manziel shared his former aspirations of being a baseball star with the press. He grew up wearing No.2 in honor of his idol Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees. He didn't play baseball his senior season so he could graduate early and focus on football.
Despite it all, Manziel is still satisfied with his path to football, having no regrets about letting his baseball dreams go.
"Things in my life have worked out pretty well. I'm pretty blessed. I wouldn't trade it for anything," Manziel said.
"I do miss (baseball)," Manziel said. "I would love to play. But I chose a different path. Football became center stage in my life when I always thought I would play baseball."
Texas A&M had its first 11-win season since 1998. Manziel set an SEC record with 5,116 yards of total offense.
