ESPN report on Johnny Manziel paints a putrid picture

Johnny Manziel may still have a shot at being the quarterback of the future for the Cleveland Browns, but it would take an unprecedented turn of events for those No. 2 jerseys to have any kind of value beyond 2015. In a recent report from ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler and Pat McManamon, more than 20 sources—some on the record, some not—discussed Manziel’s rookie season, leaving one to wonder just how both parties could make things work going forward.¹

By season’s end, cheering had turned to frustration and anger as Manziel struggled mightily in almost six quarters as a starter, then was fined for being AWOL the final Saturday of the season. Offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan resigned with two years left on his contract. Loggains was fired. The Browns openly discussed Manziel’s viability as the franchise’s quarterback at a wide-ranging postseason staff meeting about the roster. And at least a couple of Manziel’s teammates were joking his text should have read “wreck this team.”

Lacking commitment, lacking preparation, lacing focus… There wasn’t much in the way of new violations—both actual and perceived—in the report, but the way in which teammates spoke of the player who would otherwise be a leader speaks volumes. On that fateful Saturday that led to the suspension of Josh Gordon and an APB put out on Manziel, the report states that the rookie was “drunk off his ass”² when team officials showed up at his home. It also mentioned that multiple fines were levied throughout the season for the quarterback being late to team meetings³.

Some of the most glaring items of note:

• More than once, teammates corrected the play call in the huddle, or headed to the line hoping things would work because the call was wrong. Sometimes, the offense would get lined up wrong because Manziel forgot to read the whole play or got the verbiage wrong.

• Several sources said Manziel did not practice well leading up to his first start, completing fewer than 50 percent of his passes during the week.

• Some veterans “clearly didn’t want to play for [Manziel]” because of the lack of readiness, and they responded better to undrafted rookie Connor Shaw in part because he knew the playsA

• According to one Texas A&M source, “His thing would be he’s going to show up on Saturdays, ‘I’m a gamer.’ He’d show up for practices and games but that’s about it. Johnny thought he was an NFL superstar before he came [into the league].”

Manziel’s competitiveness can’t be denied. The kid has spent his entire life being told he’s too short, or not strong enough. But he’s also spent the majority of the last four years being hoisted upon a pedestal of superstardom, surrounding himself with celebrity types and jet-setting with casual disregard. He spoke about needing to stop putting himself in situations that can be cast in a negative light, but has spent more time in Aspen and Miami than he has Berea (or Texas or with his trainer in California). The Browns, meanwhile, have said that actions speak louder than words. The new offensive coordinator gave Manziel nothing in the way of an endorsement during his introductory press conference.

One source who spoke with the ESPN duo said that while it was a mistake to draft Manziel where the Browns did, it would be a bigger one to let him go after just one season. The team is well aware of what a player of Manziel’s notoriety brings to the organization in the way of attention (not always a positive) and merchandise sales. But the best part of the entire piece may have very well been the kicker:

“What Johnny has to understand is [if] he has another year like he just had, he’s not going to be famous anymore,” one NFL team exec said. “LeBron James is going to lose his number.”

Never a dull moment in Berea.

1. #ActualSportswriting! [↩]
2. I’ll never understand why “ass” has to be censored in a report when used in quote. Never. [↩]
3. This begs the questions, if he was late more often than not, what the hell did Josh Gordon do throughout the season to get suspended? [↩]