Once again Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel has angered team members, coaching staff, and fans with carefree antics and a lack of professionalism. Some are beginning to tire of it all.
Over the weekend, the injured Manziel missed a walk-through and treatment session on Saturday because he stayed out late too Friday night partying with friends.
Only days before the player told the media that he was “the guy,” the team’s future starting quarterback and team leader. But by Saturday Manziel had to be gathered up by team security when he wasn’t in attendance as the Saturday sessions began.
The player tried to assure one and all that he understood where he went wrong, saying, “”It’s about action. It’s about being accountable and doing what I’m gonna say instead of looking like a jackass.”
But on Monday coach Mike Pettine was not so easily assuaged, noting that “at some point the talk is cheap.”
“He’s gotten himself to the point with me that his actions are much more important than what he says,” the coach continued.
Coach Pettine isn’t the only one that has about had it with the player once celebrated as “Johnny Football.”
Sports columnist Skip Bayless slammed Manziel as an “alcoholic liar that needs help.” Bayless went on to confirm that he seriously thinks that Manziel is an alcoholic. “I think he can’t handle his alcohol,” Bayless said on Monday on ESPN.
Another ESPN commentator, Pat McManamon, said that the Browns should cut their losses with Manziel.
“The Browns should cut their losses and move on. The team will be better for it–and the team is what it is supposed to be about,” McManamon said in a Monday column.
Finally, and it is something that should be seen as putting Manziel on notice, on Tuesday Browns general manager Ray Farmer said that while Manziel could become a great quarterback some day the team wouldn’t hesitate to draft a 1st-round quarterback.
This statement alone conclusively proves that Manziel has not come anywhere near close to convincing the team that he is “the guy” for the Cleveland Browns. To many he just seems immature and unprepared for the NFL.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com
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