Johnny Manziel broke Austin bar employee’s nose, lawsuit alleges

Johnny Football’s legal troubles continue.

An employee at a bar in Austin has filed a lawsuit against former NFL quarterback and Texas A&M star Johnny Manziel, alleging that Manziel punched him in the face, breaking his nose.

The lawsuit, which was posted on the Facebook page Texas Our Texas, says that in the early morning hours of Sept. 6, Manziel demanded drinks from a bar-back, Eric Newton, at the New York New York bar on East Sixth Street during a private party. Newton told Manziel he couldn’t make the drinks because he wasn’t a bartender.

Newton was later overheard talking to another customer about Manziel, and when Manziel heard about it, he allegedly ran behind the bar, cursed at Newton and punched him in the face, breaking his nose. Manziel then ran out the back exit, the lawsuit says.

The lawsuit was filed Monday in Travis County, according to the Austin American-Statesman. TMZ Sports reported Manziel told them the allegations are “absolutely not true.”

The Dallas Morning News reported that Manziel is expected Thursday in Dallas for a hearing to dismiss a misdemeanor assault charge against him stemming from a January incident in which he allegedly beat and threatened his girlfriend as they drove from Dallas to Fort Worth.

Manziel, the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner and 2013 first round draft pick by the Cleveland Browns, had reportedly returned to classes at Texas A&M in September. Manziel, 23, was born in Tyler and went to high school in Kerrville, growing up in a wealthy family in the oil industry. He has been larger-than-life since his freshman year at college, and his partying, rehabilitation and legal scrapes have made headlines in the four years since.

This story was originally published November 29, 2016 at 7:08 AM with the headline "Johnny Manziel broke Austin bar employee’s nose, lawsuit alleges."