Cleveland Browns head coach Mike Pettine deflected questions Friday but did not deny that quarterback Johnny Manziel was dishonest with him about a partying video.
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Mike Pettine explained that in part on Wednesday (basically, they expect more out of the quarterback) but apparently left out a big detail: Manziel lied to the team about the video, and apparently wanted others to lie about it too.
Pettine said it was “fixable” for Manziel, adding he could return as a starter next year.
In Cleveland, Manziel has gotten a few chances to start with injuries to the Browns’ starters, but he hasn’t yet been given a shot to be the primary starter. “I informed the quarterbacks of that decision after I sat down and spoke with Johnny, (offensive coordinator John DeFilippo) and (quarterbacks coach) Kevin (O’Connell) after practice today”.
Following Manziel’s demotion, Josh McCown will start for the Browns in their Monday Night Football game against the Baltimore Ravens with Austin Davis as his backup.
“Everyone in this organization wants what is best for Johnny”, said Pettine, lying through his teeth. That we’re going to attack this defense like we try to attack defenses every week.
“When you have a great opportunity in front of you it is important that you demonstrate that you can handle the responsibility that comes with it. I can’t emphasize enough the importance of the trust and the accountability piece”.
“We traded for a guy when I first got to Green Bay that Atlanta said was a little bit of a hell-raiser and it turned out OK for us”, Gruden said. You never say never in this profession.
“You would hope that there is a maturation process that occurs, but we all feel the same way”. Given everything that has happened it was the right response and I just appreciate that from him.
The Browns named Manziel the starting quarterback for the remainder of the season on November 17. And then, making it worse, he called the people involved with that and said, “Hey, cover this up for me, make sure they think it’s old as well”.
Now, Manziel is pushed down the depth chart and is heading to Monday’s game versus Baltimore as the Browns’ third string quarterback.
Asked whether he believes Manziel still has the potential to become a franchise quarterback, DeFilippo said, “Yes”. Pettine said he made the move with the support of owner Jimmy Haslam and general manager Ray Farmer. “I really do”, he said. “He faces them head-on and he does what he thinks is right in all circumstances, even if maybe it doesn’t look good off the bat or if even in this case, he’s asking Johnny maybe to take a step back to hopefully take a couple of steps forward”. Bobby Joe Manziel was also a bantamweight boxer known as “The Syrian Kid” when he was younger and who was friends of and sparred with the great boxer Jack Dempsey. I don’t think anybody will be more proud than I am.
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“There is no magical solution to that”, Pettine said. I was glad to see when they tried to push Cam around, he fought back.
