6:42pm: Manziel’s latest career-altering incident was precipitated by a late-night stay at a nightclub in Columbus, Ohio, after he attended the Michigan State-Ohio State game, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports. Patrons at the club were prohibited from taking photos while Manziel was in attendance, Cabot notes.
Adding to the Browns’ serious stance on their recently promoted then-demoted quarterback: the team preferred Manziel stick around Cleveland and lay low during the team’s bye week, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). When the 22-year-old signal-caller defied their wishes and sharply deviated from their plan, the Browns felt “betrayed.”
1:52pm: It turns out that Johnny Manziel wasn’t just benched for an apparent relapse into partying. After seeing recent photos of Manziel drinking during his bye week in Texas, the Browns confronted the quarterback and he told the organization that they were old pics, according to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (via PFT). Not only that, but Manziel also instructed his friends to lie if they were asked about the photos.
Manziel, of course, was demoted to No. 3 on the depth chart earlier this week with Josh McCown sliding into the starting role. Austin Davis will serve as Cleveland’s No. 2 option in Week 12, should McCown get injured or falter. Still, coach Mike Pettine insists that the team has not discussed cutting Johnny Football loose.
A primary concern about the footage that showed Manziel partying in Austin is that it comes after the QB checked himself into rehab earlier this year. However, Pettine declined to comment on whether the team would encourage Manziel to go back to rehab, pointing out that it’s a privacy issue.
A week ago, the Browns had announced that Manziel would be the team’s starting quarterback for the rest of the season, in order to evaluate how he fits into Cleveland’s plans for 2016 and beyond. That question will remain unanswered if Manziel sits on the bench down the stretch, but according to Pettine, the need to discipline Manziel was “too important,” and outweighed the need to evaluate him.
I don’t understand why he still has a job, he is more of a problem and distraction then he is worth. How people like this continue to get chance after always surprises me. Maybe be should just go to the Cowboys, Jerry jones seems to want anyone who can get his team more media coverage.
As a Cowboys fan I would take him over Cassel
Great then you can have two men who physically abuse women on your team
This kid isn’t worth a roster spot, how many chances do you get to blow before the Browns get their head on straight? Oh wait there is one team he should be on,This kid belongs on the Cowboys, the only thing Jerry jones obviously cares about is media coverage for his team good or bad.
This makes a little more sense. Prior history notwithstanding, it seemed like a bit of an overreaction on the Browns’ part if they had demoted Manziel simply because of an relatively uneventful trip to the nightclub. But lying to the team is a different story, and Pettine’s reaction and comments seem more appropriate in light of this development.
Who cares… Let the kid live his life!
An NFL player lying about photos that involve them?? Nah never happens.
A 22 year old drinking at a bar…talking about a 22 year old drinking at a bar…Pettine must be the greatest human on earth to be upset about something so completely legal and normal
Or perhaps Pettine has been coaching long enough to see a kid with tremendous talent ruin himself with poor off field decisions. Josh Gordon comes to mind. Manziel has said all the right things but you don’t go to rehab for a few months and then end up partying months later without raising concern about commitment.
You got Mariota, Winston, Bridgewater and Carr all the same age or younger but Manziel is the only one that seems to still need a babysitter.
Well said. That’s the crux of the problem, and if Johnny feels like he needs to lie to the organization then that’s a pretty good clue he’s doing something he shouldn’t be and he knows it. Hope he gets his head on straight and cleans his life up before he ruins it.
what a friggin immature idiot
Unbelievable.. Obviously, while at rehab he wasn’t focused on himself, or the subject at hand.. That tells you everything you need to know about his ability to be a successful NFL quarterback, and where he fits in their plans for the future.. The kid needs help.. Playing in the NFL obviously isn’t in the cards for him..