Rolando McClain and Johnny Manziel are connected by more than the date they were both suspended by the NFL for parts of the 2016 season — and by more than the rapidly shrinking chance that they’ll ever play again. Signings like McClain's are the reason so many people were so sure, even willing to claim half-jokingly right now, that Manziel was going to end up with the Cowboys.
This is what Jerry Jones does. It’s how he operates.
It’s documented. He doesn’t really deny the overall idea, just the individual applications. Manziel never really was close to becoming a Cowboy … but Jones gave McClain a third chance.