Carroll O’Connor participated in a lampoon (All In The Family) of conservative ideas. That wasn’t entirely fair; not all people with conservative ideas carry them out like Archie Bunker. But even poor old Archie managed to find blessing in the stories.
Sometimes, souls whom the Lord has marked as targets for special roles fall into absolutely hideous lives for a season or seasons. I daresay it’s not over with Johnny until the proverbial fat lady sings. But he needs a face to face encounter with the God who puts the amazing into grace.
I agree with all that you say. I still think that Manziel’s father has simply ‘given up’ while there are still options, illegal though they are, open to him.