He played in three Super Bowls, winning twice. Known as "The Secretary of Defense," the six-foot-three, 260-pound NFL defensive end compiled an impressive 97 ½ sacks during his career.
Growing up in the projects of Houston, Manley was given an athletic scholarship to Oklahoma State University despite his inability to read or write. After a stellar college career, Manley was drafted into the National Football League. For nine seasons, from 1981 to 1989, he played for the Washington Redskins. A former teammate said of him: "as physically gifted a football player as I've seen."
As hard as Manley played, he partied 100 times harder. Expensive clothes, complimentary meals, cars, and drugs took over, and life became a pursuit of personal gratification.
By the middle of the 1980s the star began abusing cocaine. In 1991 the NFL banned him from the league. After two lackluster seasons in Canada's football league, his playing days came to an end. Yet Manley continued to live as if he was still a player. He carried his expired NFL Players Association card for identification. He stayed in Marriott hotels, just as when he was with the Redskins. Questioned about his profession, he'd reply: "football player." Manley continued doing drugs as well, and in 2002 he was given a two-year prison sentence for cocaine possession.
In an interview with The New York Times, Manley said, "I'm still living that dream. Football gave me personality. Once it was over, I had nothing to live for."
