Johnny Manziel

Johnny Manziel Refuses Admittance To Rehab

February 5th, 2016 at 10:05am CST by Luke Adams

Johnny Manziel‘s agent has publicly parted ways with him and expressed concern about the quarterback’s future, and he’s not the only one close to Manziel who hopes the 23-year-old gets serious about getting help. According to Kate Hairopoulos of the Dallas Morning News, Manziel’s family is concerned for his well-being, with his father Paul Manziel suggesting that his son has twice declined to be admitted to area rehab facilities in the last week.

“I truly believe if they can’t get him help, he won’t live to see his 24th birthday,” the elder Manziel said.

According to Hairopoulos’ report, Manziel’s family attempted last Saturday afternoon to get him to agree to go to the Enterhealth Ranch addiction facility in Van Alstyne, Texas. However, he refused to stay there. Paul Manziel said that he tried this Tuesday to have his son admitted to Carrollton Springs Hospital, but that Johnny was allowed to leave.

Carrollton Springs is a psychiatric and chemical dependency hospital, working with patients who suffer from mental illness and/or addiction. Paul Manziel told Hairopoulos that he was upset that Johnny was allowed to leave after Paul told a Denton County Sherriff officer that he believed his son to be suicidal.

Manziel previously checked himself into a rehab facility in 2015 voluntarily, entering a program to treat possible alcohol dependence.

In a statement issued today, agent Erik Burkhardt announced that he was ending his professional relationship with the Browns quarterback, suggesting that he had spoken at length to Manziel’s family, with all parties except the QB himself agreeing that he ought to seek help.

“Though I will remain a friend and Johnny supporter, and he knows I have worked tirelessly to arrange a number of professional options for him to continue to pursue, it has become painfully obvious that his future rests solely in his own hands,” Burkhardt said. “His family and I have gone to great lengths to outline the steps we feel he must take to get his life in order. Accountability is the foundation of any relationship, and without it, the function of my work is counterproductive.”

Police recently investigated a January dispute between Manziel and his ex-girlfriend Colleen Crowley, but ultimately elected not to file charges. Crowley told police that Manziel struck her several times and seemed to be on drugs, and that he also told her “shut up or I’ll kill us both” after forcing her into a car and dragging her by her hair. Manziel denied those allegations.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Agent No Longer Representing Johnny Manziel

February 5th, 2016 at 9:14am CST by Luke Adams

In the wake of Johnny Manziel‘s latest off-field incident and a report that the Browns plan to cut him, Manziel’s agent has announced that he has ended his business relationship with the quarterback. As Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets, agent Erik Burkhardt issued a statement explaining why he is no longer representing Manziel.

“It is with deep regret that, after several emotional and very personal discussions with his family, his doctors, and my client himself, I have made the decision to terminate my professional relationship with Johnny Manziel,” Burkhardt said.

“Though I will remain a friend and Johnny supporter, and he knows I have worked tirelessly to arrange a number of professional options for him to continue to pursue, it has become painfully obvious that his future rests solely in his own hands. His family and I have gone to great lengths to outline the steps we feel he must take to get his life in order. Accountability is the foundation of any relationship, and without it, the function of my work is counterproductive.

“I truly wish the best for Johnny and sincerely hope he can, and will, find the kind of peace and happiness he deserves.”

While Manziel isn’t the first player to lose an agent, it’s a rare occurrence, and it’s even rarer to see any player’s representative announce so openly and bluntly that his client has let him down. In many ways, Burkhardt’s statement is a more worrying indictment of the former Texas A&M star than the announcement issued by Browns executive VP of football operations Sashi Brown earlier this week. Brown’s statement read, in part: “Johnny’s continual involvement in incidents that run counter to those expectations undermines the hard work of his teammates and the reputation of our organization.”

A first-round pick in 2014, Manziel started eight games during his two years in Cleveland, completing 57% of his passes and throwing seven touchdowns to seven interceptions, for a QB rating of 74.4. While his on-field performance was unspectacular, it was his off-field behavior that will cost him his agent and his roster spot, with the Browns expected to cut him when the new league year begins on March 9th.

Although there has been plenty of speculation about what teams might be a fit for Manziel when he becomes a free agent next month, these latest developments suggest that he may have a hard time finding any team willing to take a shot at him unless he can convince clubs that he’s committed to staying out of trouble and focusing on saving his football career.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Latest On Johnny Manziel

February 4th, 2016 at 7:20pm CST by Zachary Links

7:20pm: Police say no charges will be filed against Manziel, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

5:32pm: Late last month, Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel got into a dispute with his ex-girlfriend, prompting a police investigation. Now, details from that incident are coming to light and they do not paint the former Texas A&M star in a positive light.

According to Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer (Twitter links), the ex-girlfriend told police that Manziel struck her several times and seemed to be on drugs. The identity of the alleged victim has also been identified as Colleen Crowley, the same woman who was involved in Manziel’s previous run-in with the law.

Crowley also told police that the Heisman Trophy winner told her “shut up or I’ll kill us both” after forcing her into a car, hitting her, and dragging her by the hair, per WFAA. Still, Fort Worth police say that Manziel has yet to be charged with anything.

“He grabbed me by my hair and threw me back into the car and got back in himself,” she told police. “He hit me with his open hand on my left ear for jumping out of the car. I realized immediately that I could not hear out of that ear, and I still cannot today, two days later.”

Earlier this week, it was reported that the Browns are expected to cut Manziel. Prior to that, there was already a strong sense that Manziel was no longer a part of the Browns’ outlook for 2016 and beyond. On the day the club hired Hue Jackson as its new head coach, a report surfaced suggesting that the former Bengals offensive coordinator had made it clear during the interview process that he intended to move on from Manziel.

Assuming they don’t designate him as a post-June 1 cut, the Browns will take on a ’16 cap hit of about $4.33MM if they release Manziel on or after March 9. Of course, the team could remove that entire figure from its cap if the 23-year-old is claimed on waivers, but that seems extremely unlikely.

A first-round pick in 2014, Manziel started eight games during his two years in Cleveland, completing 57% of his passes and throwing seven touchdowns to seven interceptions, for a QB rating of 74.4. While his on-field performance was unspectacular, it was off-field behavior that will cost him his roster spot. In addition to not being pleased by his multiple run-ins with the law, the Browns were also concerned about Manziel’s fondness for partying, which seems to have persisted since he checked himself into rehab last year.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

East Notes: Cowboys, Dolphins, Bromley

February 2nd, 2016 at 5:14pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, we heard that the Cowboys were set to talk to former 49ers head coach Mike Nolan about their defensive backs coach position, but Nolan isn’t the only candidate for the opening. According to Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (via Twitter), the Cowboys will also interview Tim Lewis, lost his job as the Niners’ defensive backs coach last month.

Alex Marvez of FOX Sports adds a few more names to the Cowboys’ list of possible targets, tweeting that the team has already interviewed Titans assistant secondary coach Steve Brown, former Colts assistant Mike Gillhamer, and former Miami Hurricanes head coach Al Golden, who has since been hired by the Lions. Even with Golden off the table, it certainly seems that Dallas has no shortage of candidates to replace Jerome Henderson.

Here are a few more items of interest from around the NFL’s two East divisions:

It’s only been a few hours since word broke that the Browns are expected to cut Johnny Manziel when the 2016 league year officially begins, but that’s plenty of time for the speculation about Manziel landing with the Cowboys to rev up. As Todd Archer of ESPN.com and David Moore of the Dallas Morning News observe, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones wanted to select Manziel during the 2014 draft, but was talked out of it by other members of the team’s front office, and the quarterback has shown little since then – on or off the field – to make the club regret that decision. Still, Jones may still harbor some optimism for Manziel’s potential, and as Mike Sando of ESPN.com (Insider link) writes, the team hasn’t shied away from signing players with character red flags.
The linebacker position “will be of particular interest” for the Dolphins throughout this offseason, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, who writes that the club will be looking for two starting-caliber linebackers. Salguero suggests Miami will likely try to replace middle linebacker Kelvin Sheppard and outside linebacker Koa Misi this winter, if possible.
A police source tells Ryan Sit and Rocco Parascandola of the New York Daily News that investigators have uncovered “significant discrepancies” in the story told by the woman who accused Giants defensive tackle Jay Bromley of assaulting and attempting to rape her. Bromley has steadfastly denied his accuser’s allegations.

Browns Expected To Cut Johnny Manziel

February 2nd, 2016 at 11:27am CST by Luke Adams

The Browns have issued a statement on quarterback Johnny Manziel, who is currently being investigated by the NFL for his latest off-field incident. The team’s announcement, which was made by executive VP of football operations Sashi Brown, strongly hints that Manziel won’t be with the club much longer.

“We’ve been clear about expectations for our players on and off the field,” Brown said. “Johnny’s continual involvement in incidents that run counter to those expectations undermines the hard work of his teammates and the reputation of our organization. His status with our team will be addressed when permitted by league rules. We will have no further comment at this time.”

Brown’s reference to Manziel’s status with the team being addressed “when permitted by league rules” makes it sound as if Cleveland ultimately plans to waive the quarterback. The offseason waiver process doesn’t get underway until next Monday, after the Super Bowl is over, and the new league year doesn’t begin until March 9. The Browns may hang on to Manziel until then, for cap purposes, but it doesn’t appear he’s in the club’s future plans anymore.

Pat McManamon of ESPN.com confirms as much, writing that the Browns plan on cutting Manziel when the 2016 league year begins in March. By waiting until then to make the move official, Cleveland avoids having Manziel’s dead money accelerate onto the 2015 cap — the team needs to absorb that hit in 2016 instead, having already rolled its ’15 cap room over to next year, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).

While today’s news all but confirms it, there was already a strong sense that Manziel was no longer a part of the Browns’ outlook for 2016 and beyond. On the day the club hired Hue Jackson as its new head coach, a report surfaced suggesting that the former Bengals offensive coordinator had made it clear during the interview process that he intended to move on from Manziel.

A first-round pick in 2014, Manziel started eight games during his two years in Cleveland, completing 57% of his passes and throwing seven touchdowns to seven interceptions, for a QB rating of 74.4. While his on-field performance was unspectacular, it was off-field behavior that will cost him his roster spot. In addition to not being pleased by his multiple run-ins with the law, the Browns were also concerned about Manziel’s fondness for partying, which seems to have persisted since he checked himself into rehab last year.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Police Investigate Dispute Between Johnny Manziel, Ex-Girlfriend

January 30th, 2016 at 3:02pm CST by Ben Levine

1:54pm: Fort Worth police determined an assault had possibly transpired and they searched for Manziel with a helicopter due to the woman being concerned about the quarterback’s well-being, Mark David Smith of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

The department is actively working with Dallas police to “determine if a criminal offense occurred,” Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.

After attempting to call Manziel, police used their chopper to search around Fort Worth for him, Smith reports, but ultimately concluded he was safe and in no danger. The potential victim also referred to Manziel as her ex-boyfriend.

12:30pm: NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told Cabot that the league was aware of the incident. “We are aware of it and looking into it,” he said (via Twitter).

11:19am: Johnny Manziel is in the news once again, and per usual, it’s not for anything positive. According to David Watkins of NBC5 (via Twitter), Fort Worth police were called this morning to check on an apparent “altercation” between the quarterback and his ex-girlfriend. No arrests were made. The Browns had no comment on the incident, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (via Twitter).

“He was not arrested,” the Forth Worth police confirmed to Omar Villafranca of CBS News (via Twitter). “An information report was completed regarding an altercation between Manziel and his girlfriend. The report has not been fully completed yet but once I have a completed report I will have more information for you sir.”

Manziel and his then-girlfriend made headlines back in October following a roadside argument. Of course, that wasn’t the only time the former first-rounder’s name popped up this season. Manziel had checked himself into rehab during the offseason, but the 23-year-old was seen drinking in a video released in December, leading to his benching. The next month, Manziel was seen partying in Las Vegas, and the quarterback reportedly didn’t show up the next day to the team-mandated concussion protocol.

There was already come uncertainty surrounding Manziel’s future in Cleveland, especially considering the team’s hiring of Hue Jackson. The new head coach had indicated that he hadn’t talked to the young quarterback, although owner Jimmy Haslam acknowledged that the team wasn’t so keen on giving up on the embattled player.

Manziel made nine appearances this past season, including six starts. He finished 2015 with 1,500 passing yards, seven touchdowns and five interceptions. He also ran for 230 yards on 37 carries.

Draft Rumors: Titans, Browns, J. Smith, Cowboys

January 29th, 2016 at 11:59am CST by Luke Adams

The NFL season isn’t over yet, but teams around the league are already looking ahead to the draft April, spending this week meeting with and scouting players at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. Checking in from Mobile, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report has several interesting draft-related tidbits to pass along, so let’s dive right in and check out the highlights….

The “biggest buzz” at the Senior Bowl this week is that the Titans are “absolutely” shopping the first overall pick in the draft, says Miller. General managers from rival teams expect the Browns and Rams to have the most interest in trading up to No. 1, though Cleveland exec Sashi Brown said earlier this week that he’d be shocked if his team moves up from No. 2.
Wherever the Browns end up picking, the expectation around the league is that they’ll target a quarterback, and Miller has heard all week from scouts that Cleveland prefers Carson Wentz to Jared Goff.
Jaylon Smith, who tore his ACL and LCL in the Fiesta Bowl, is already rehabbing twice a day as he recovers from the major knee injury, sources tell Miller. The Saints are among the clubs keeping a close eye on the Notre Dame linebacker, and it still appears likely that he’ll come off the board in the top half of the first round.
Miller’s sources don’t expect Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to use his team’s first-round pick on Tony Romo‘s backup and eventual successor. According to Miller, Dallas is more likely to roll the dice on a player like Robert Griffin III or Johnny Manziel — not necessarily as Romo’s successor, but at least as a short-term backup.
Sources inside the Texans tell Miller that Houston figures to focus on the offensive side of the ball with its first few picks in the draft.
Miller identifies Louisiana Tech defensive tackle Vernon Butler, Clemson wide receiver Charone Peake, and Temple defensive tackle Matt Ioannidis as some prospects that have improved their stock this week in Mobile.

AFC Notes: Browns, Raiders, Chargers, Manning

January 28th, 2016 at 9:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although Hue Jackson‘s recent comments have seemingly indicated a preference the Browns move on from Johnny Manziel, Jimmy Haslam knows the sides can mend their damaged relationship, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal.

The Browns’ owner admitted both his regime and the team’s previous power structure have made critical misjudgments in the draft, he does not like the idea of moving on from a No. 1 pick that’s contributed so little to the franchise.

“Oh, yeah, I don’t think there’s any question about that,” Haslam told media about being able to go forward with Manziel. “We talked to Johnny before he left [for the offseason]. I know a big deal was made that Hue hasn’t called Johnny yet. Well, we’ve got 53 players on the active [roster] and 10 more [on reserve/futures deals], and there were a couple of other real prominent players that he just talked to in the last day or two. So I’m sure he’ll get around to talking to him.”

Jackson hasn’t sounded too optimistic regarding Manziel, who entered rehab but endured several alcohol-related slip-ups during the season, with the new Cleveland coach saying Manziel’s alleged secret excursion to Las Vegas while in concussion protocol would have been a “non-starter” under his watch. In between, the 23-year-old Manziel started six games and completed 57% of his passes, throwing for seven touchdowns and five interceptions.

Here’s some more Browns- and AFC-related news.

Haslam said there is no awkwardness between him and newly rehired DC Ray Horton, Ulrich tweets. The owner told media, including Ulrich, Horton did a good job as the Browns’ DC in his one-and-done stint in 2013. The Browns ranked ninth defensively under Horton that season. The Browns ranked 27th in 2015 and 23rd in 2014 in total defense.
Should the Browns select Carson Wentz with their No. 2 overall pick, “they’ll be set for 15 years,” an NFL personnel man whose team does not need a quarterback told Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “He’s the best quarterback in the draft. If I were picking at No. 2, I’d take him. It will solve all of their problems and they’d get that team turned around,” the personnel man said. Sources told Cabot the Browns’ interest in Wentz is real, and although most mock drafts don’t have the North Dakota State fifth-year senior going off the board that soon, Jackson has experience coaching a Division I-FCS first-rounder. He helped guide Joe Flacco, chosen out of Delaware in 2008, previously.
New Dolphins DC Vance Joseph will allow Ndamukong Suh to provide input, and the new coach is trying to forge a relationship with the league’s highest-paid defender, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports. Suh, per a teammate, did not have much use for since-fired DC Kevin Coyle. Suh’s requested input regarding the Dolphins’ scheme, and Joseph said he’d listen.
Miami’s also open to giving former top-five pick Dion Jordan another chance despite his rampant trouble with the league, Jackson reports. Jordan hasn’t played since participating in 10 games in 2014. The league suspended the former No. 3 overall pick for the entire 2015 season for violations of its substance-abuse policy. The Dolphins would allow a potential Jordan return to the team, providing he’s clean and if the league reinstates him in April, Jackson writes.
With Raiders owner Mark Davis‘ planned trip to Las Vegas on Friday to possibly discuss the Raiders playing in a planned $1 billion domed stadium representing Thursday’s biggest news, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk cautions fans to slow down on any Las Vegas Raiders-themed discussions. Using Tony Romo‘s cancelled fantasy football convention at a Las Vegas Sands-owned, non-gambling facility last summer as an example, Florio does not believe the NFL will allow the Raiders to move to Vegas. The NFL previously said a Vegas-hosted Pro Bowl or merely a single game would not likely be sanctioned.
The Chargers hired recently fired Patriots offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo as an offensive line assistant, Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports (on Twitter). DeGuglielmo will work alongside Jeff Davidson with the Bolts’ linemen.
Should Peyton Manning determine Super Bowl 50 isn’t his “last rodeo,” the Broncos would have a difficult choice on their hands, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com writes. Should Manning return, he’s due to occupy an untenable $21.5MM cap hold next season. If Manning helps Denver win the Super Bowl, John Elway could be faced with a choice akin to what Ted Thompson encountered in 2008, when Brett Favre‘s backtracking forced an awkward trade. But Aaron Rodgers being under contract and Brock Osweiler not differentiates the scenarios. Corry argues the cleanest solution, albeit one that would put Elway in a complicated spot in terms of PR, would be to release Manning, sign Osweiler to a long-term deal and free up $19MM in cap space. If Manning decided he wanted to play again despite this, Corry cites the Rams and Texans as teams that would fit the soon-to-be-40-year-old quarterback’s needs, with their strong defenses and warm-weather or climate-controlled settings.

AFC Rumors: Manziel, Wolfe, Gase, Jags

January 22nd, 2016 at 10:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Johnny Manziel will have to transform into the kind of constant presence around the team facility that Andy Dalton and Carson Palmer were under Hue Jackson with the Bengals and Raiders, respectively, per Albert Breer of NFL.com, if he’s to have any shot at staying with the Browns and competing for a job.

Jackson, understandably, prefers quarterbacks who make the team’s headquarters their home during the offseason. These characteristics are essentially the antithesis of Manziel’s behavioral pattern since arriving in Cleveland, and Jackson’s all-out interest in making the quarterback the fulcrum of the team’s progress will probably be spent on someone who isn’t on the Browns yet.

“[Jackson] changed Andy’s routine to get him around us more and around the other offensive players more,” a Bengals coach told Breer, before adding how Jackson pushed to get the game plan to Dalton early in the week, “so he could talk through it in more detail. Then, he pushed [Dalton] to meet separately with other skill guys and some offensive linemen to get them on the same page as him.”

Here are some more details on Manziel and some of the rest of the AFC franchises.

In an appearance on Jay Mohr’s Fox Sports Radio show earlier tonight, an initial filibuster from new Browns chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta on whether Manziel would be on the team next year turned into the former baseball exec offering a “pass” as a response, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer relays. The comedian gave DePodesta yes, no or pass options, and after insisting he choose one after three initial responses, DePodesta said, “pass.” Obviously not a hard answer on the scrutinized ex-first-rounder, but signs continue to point Manziel away from Cleveland.
Derek Wolfe admitted he took “a big cut” compared to what he could have received on the open market in order to stay with the Broncos, Mike Klis of 9News reports. “I don’t really do this for the money. The money is great but you do it to win. That’s why I took a little bit of a haircut to stay here. I took a big cut. But you do it if you want to stay with the No. 1 defense,” said Wolfe in describing the process that went into his signing of a four-year, $36.7MM deal with the Broncos last Friday. In disclosing the terms of Wolfe’s full deal, Klis reports the defensive end will earn base salaries of $4.5MM in 2016, $5.5MM in ’17, $8MM in ’18 and $8MM in ’19, the latter two figures not guaranteed. Wolfe’s largest cap number in this deal will, as of now, loom in 2018, when he’s set to count $9.55MM against the Broncos’ cap.
Jaguars senior offensive assistant Frank Scelfo‘s accepted a position at the University of Texas-San Antonio, where he’ll become the Roadrunners’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports reports (on Twitter). Scelfo coached the Jags’ QBs in 2013-14 before assuming the senior offensive assistant title last season. He served as the OC for Tulane and Louisiana Tech from 1999-2009.
Gus Bradley leaned on Monte Kiffin to help make the decision to promote Todd Wash to defensive coordinator, Vito Stellino of the Florida Times-Union reports. The retired Kiffin still serves as a consultant to the Jaguars and Bradley, whom he hired in Tampa Bay when he was the Buccaneers’ DC.
Adam Gase has shown patience while sorting out his staff as holdovers decide whether to stay or go, according to Breer, who adds that sort of approach runs counter to the tumult that permeated through the Dolphins‘ facilities last season.

Browns Notes: Front Office, Manziel, Gordon

January 21st, 2016 at 1:51pm CST by Luke Adams

New Browns front office duo Sashi Brown and Paul DePodesta spoke to reporters today at an afternoon press conference, and while the session wasn’t exactly filled with headline-worthy nuggets, Brown and DePodesta made a few comments worth passing along. Here’s a round-up:

The Browns are looking to fill a crucial spot in their front office, but that position won’t get a general manager title, according to Brown (Twitter link via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal). The new addition to the front office will be the vice president of player personnel, and Cleveland intends to make a hire within about a week.
Brown is confident that the team can attract top candidates for that VP of player personnel role, even though Brown will retain final say over the 53-man roster. However, he acknowledges that teams are reluctant to let their top personnel guys go at this time of year, with the draft coming up (Twitter links via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com).
The Browns are in no hurry to make a decision on quarterback Johnny Manziel, but Brown says he’ll defer to Hue Jackson if the new head coach decides he doesn’t want Manziel (Twitter link via Jeff Schudel of The News-Herald).
As for Josh Gordon, the Browns also won’t rush into any decision on the suspended wide receiver. If Gordon is reinstated, the team will sit down with him and see how he’s doing, Brown said today (Twitter link via Ulrich).
Brown has met with left tackle Joe Thomas and indicated that he’ll “be a big piece of what we do moving forward” (Twitter link via Cabot). Thomas suggested at season’s end that he may ask to be traded if he wasn’t fond of the new head coaching hire and the franchise’s offseason direction.
DePodesta downplayed the idea that the Browns will be employing any sort of radical analytics, suggesting that his approach is more about a mindset than an algorithm, and the ultimate goal is to make the best possible decision (Twitter links via Ulrich).

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