The NCAA is investigating whether Johnny Manziel illegally profited from autographs on photos and memorabilia, ESPN's "Outside the Lines" (OTL) reported.
Two unnamed sources said an autograph broker named Drew Tieman approached Manziel during January's BCS National Championship game in Miami. The Texas A&M quarterback allegedly agreed to sign various items for a five-figure flat fee.
Manziel met Tieman at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Jan. 6, and agreed to sign photos and memorabilia including photos, footballs, helmets and more. According to the sources, Manziel and his friend and personal assistant Nathan Fitch went to Tieman's home to sign the items.
He signed hundreds of items in the room filled with people; however, the sources said they witnessed the signing, but not the money exchange. After watching the title game between Notre Dame and Alabama, Manziel signed more items before leaving Miami.
The sources also told OTL James Garland, NCAA assistant director of enforcement, contacted Tieman and another associated with the signings to talk about some items signed by Manziel that appeared on eBay.
An NCAA spokesman declined to comment and Garland did not respond to OTL. Manziel and Fitch also did not return calls.
Under the NCAA bylaw forbidding players from "accepting money for promoting or advertising the commercial sale of a product or service," Manziel could be ineligible for the upcoming season pending the investigation.
Jason Cook, Texas A&M's senior associate athletics director for external affairs, said: "it is Texas A&M's longstanding practice not to respond to such questions concerning specific student-athletes."
The school declined to comment further, but they have commented on this issue in the past.
David Batson, the school's compliance director, spoke with ESPN in March when several items signed by Manziel flooded the market.
He provided the following written statement: "Johnny has indicated on numerous occasions and, once again earlier today, that he has never (and to his knowledge, his parents, other relatives and friends have ever) been compensated through cash or other benefits or promises of deferred compensation for providing his autograph."
Johnny's father, Paul, has stated in the past that many items on the market were fake and did not really have his son's signature. Various memorabilia dealers told OTL many of the items were authenticated by autograph brokers.
It is common for college athletes to sign things for fans, but the memorabilia dealers said the amount of items bearing Manziel's signature that hit the market in January was uncommonly high.
Manziel is already one of the nation's most popular and polarizing athletes, college or pro, and his family knows that. They have set up a corporation to protect his business affairs when he leaves college football. JMAN2 Enterprises sought to trademark the use of "Johnny Football," Manziel's nickname, for when he eventually leaves college football.