Arlington Renegades returner Juwan Manigo had an entire country celebrating his UFL debut

Sonic's legendary 2023 season is cemented in history through the stat sheet, which has him at nine touchdowns as a receiver, one as a rusher, and another five as a returner while racking up over 2,000 total yards in 12 games, including the playoffs. 

However, numbers aren't nearly enough to tell his story. When watching his plays, it's much more like magic. It's not only Manigo's speed that is a lethal threat, it's that time seems to slow down around him while he's two steps ahead of tacklers, leaving traps along the way to force them to sell on a move when he's really changing direction at the last fraction of a second. While tacklers are flying to the ball, he's playing slow motion chess while going at electrifying speed on real life.

Manigo bet on his skillsets and took his unique talents to the UFL as Mexican football fans that followed his career closely wondered if he'd be able to deal the same type of damage on a U.S. pro league.

It took him one return attempt to show that he could. In the first ever UFL play, Manigo showed off his speed and change of direction as well as physicality to break through a tackle for extra yardage.

"That's what he does," the official account of the LFA quickly replied to the Renegades on Twitter/X, only one of many excited responses coming from Mexico fans watching the action closely. Even former LFA rivals like Monterrey Fundidores DB Colby Burton showed his respects by calling him "one of one."

Manigo finished the game with five kickoff returns for a total 112 yards and will have to wait until Week 2 to get a chance at a punt return, where he can be even more dangerous. 

It's only one game, and knowing Manigo, his hard work will continue to leave a mark in the UFL just like he did in Mexico beforehand. But Saturday's performance was celebrated by the country that first watched him emerge as a pro football star.

I won't be surprised if later this year, I start reminiscing of those Billy Joel lyrics, only this time wondering if Manigo will be playing on Sundays during the fall someday.