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When Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel’s rookie season came to completion last year, I couldn’t help but think there was no way things would get worse.
There was just no way the flashy QB could put forth a campaign any more disastrous than the one he did in 2014. The continued drinking, the beyond obvious lack of preparation, the constant insistence that he’d finally learned his lesson right before he made another stupid mistake. All of this rolled into an absolute nightmare of a rookie year, and it seemed impossible things could get any lower for Manziel.
So, color me astounded when I found myself thinking today that, yes, it sure could get worse. Believe it or not, the 2015 season was even more embarrassing for Manziel. Where last year he was an immature and unprepared rookie, this season he completely spat in the face of his team. As a result, don’t expect him to be a member of the Browns much longer.
All throughout this past season, the Manziel sympathizers could be found throughout social media. Since the young quarterback was progressing on the field, it seemed to excuse the fact it didn’t take long for alcohol-related incidents to start popping up. “Let him live” many said about a player who spent three months in rehab and was clearly relapsing. The Browns have searched forever for a franchise quarterback, and if Manziel could potentially be one, it apparently didn’t matter if he was still an off-field distraction.
However, after this past weekend, I’d like to believe the Manziel bandwagon is completely empty.
Even though he was diagnosed with a concussion last Wednesday, Manziel was reportedly seen in Vegas on Saturday. Why he couldn’t wait to travel until after the season ended two days later is beyond me. Regardless, even if he wasn’t in Vegas (astonishingly, no pictures have been released), Manziel was supposed to be at the team facility yesterday morning, but was a complete no-show, to the point where the team was still completely unaware of his location as late as last night.
Let me remind you that Manziel spent the past training camp vowing to be a changed man, telling anyone who would listen that this season was about his regaining the respect of the coaches and teammates who went to bat for him despite a miserable rookie year.
And this is how he went through with that plan.
What Manziel did this weekend was pathetic and inexcusable, yet another chapter in a despicable tenure in Cleveland. Despite claiming he needed to make up for the embarrassment that was his rookie year, he instead decided to pretend to be more mature for a few weeks before proving he hasn’t learned a thing. He may have looked better on the field, but off the field he’s still a hot mess.
Asked simply to not bring any bad attention to the team, Manziel continued his hard-partying ways and continued getting filmed drinking. Even worse, instead of owning up to it, he tried to sweep it under the rug with childish excuses like “videos can be old.”
Per Peter King, Manziel apparently would rather be a Dallas Cowboy next year. If Dallas – or any disillusioned NFL team – wants him, by all means take him.
If he doesn’t want to be a Brown, fine, there’s nothing that can be done to change this apparently. However, to continue to embarrass the franchise which has given him chance after chance after chance is an absolute insult. Forcing teammates and coaches to answer questions about his drinking or, as of yesterday, “do you know if Johnny was in Vegas?” is indefensible.
The Browns stood up for Manziel when he made a mockery of his rookie year. They gave him back the starting job after he was seen drinking again, specifically after he was asked to do anything but.
As a reward, he bailed on the team, reportedly headed to Vegas, and apparently won’t be available to speak on this today since he’s in concussion protocol. Yes, he can spend the weekend gambling and drinking, but answering for it was determined counter-intuitive to his recovery.
King added he believes Manziel has played his last down in Cleveland. I’d like to think all Browns fans would join me in saying “good riddance.”
Casey Drottar is the Cleveland Beat Writer for www.Rantsports.com. Follow him on Twitter or “Like” him on Facebook
