Johnny Manziel still riding on the roller coaster
Sep 20, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel (2) looks downfield for an open receiver against the Tennessee Titans in the third quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 28-14. Mandatory Credit: Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
Cleveland Browns 2014 1st-round pick Johnny Manziel came into the NFL with the ability to make things happen. But unfortunately, he’s made more of the wrong things happen than the right things. It all started last year when he was late for meetings after and night of partying and unprepared when he went into games.
And in those games, he was horrible, losing the trust of the locker room and the Browns’ staff. Manziel would check himself in to alcohol rehab after his rookie season and he seemed to come out of it a changed man. Through minicamp, OTA’s and training camp he was a hard worker and started to earn the trust of the staff and his teammates back.
He even looked pretty good when pressed into duty for an injured Josh McCown, beating Marcus Mariota’s Tennessee Titans. And after going upward for so long on his roller coaster, he’s going downward now. It’s actually disturbing to see the depths that the downward part of his ride is taking him.
According to a police report, it involved speeding on the shoulder while arguing with his girlfriend. He also allegedly drove across several lanes to exit the interstate and pushed his girlfriend’s face into the car window in the process. Manziel admitted to drinking but the police that pulled him over in Avon, Ohio determined Manziel was not intoxicated.
He and his girlfriend being allowed to leave together is a good sign but a lot still isn’t right there. Driving the way he drove put himself, his girlfriend and anyone on that highway at serious risk. That’s a problem in itself without domestic violence or falling of the wagon of his alcohol rehab.
Anytime the numbers 9-1-1 are dialed having to do with your behavior, you have some kind of problems. As of right now, the Browns are sticking by Manziel but no one knows how long that will be. At some point, the Browns will have to move on without him if he can’t make it into the drama-free zone.
Now, all the team’s distrust for Manziel is back 10-fold.
The Browns probably don’t know what to do with him now.
This was a bad set-back in his roller coaster ride in the NFL.