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SPORTS A21
Saturday 12 March 2016
Johnny Be Gone: Browns release Manziel after 2 seasons
TOM WITHERS as long as they could, but his In this Aug. 23, 2014, file photo, Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel celebrates after
AP Sports Writer decision to skip the team’s a 7-yard touchdown run against the St. Louis Rams in the third quarter of a preseason NFL football
CLEVELAND (AP) — Johnny season finale against Pitts- game, in Cleveland. The Browns have released troublesome quarterback Johnny Manziel.
Football has been tossed burgh — he had a concus-
aside. sion at the time — for a trip Associated Press
Quarterback Johnny Man- to Las Vegas and a second
ziel, the scrambling, Heis- domestic incident in three grounds on candidates af- He started his rookie season was hope Manziel had ex-
man Trophy-winning col- months was more than the ter their failed experience as Josh McCown’s back- orcised demons.
lege star who hasn’t come team could tolerate and with Manziel. up and barely got on the The Browns stood by Man-
close to matching his hype they dumped Manziel, who It all began with such prom- field before getting his first ziel. Pettine named him
in the NFL, was released went 2-6 as a starter. ise. extended action in Cleve- starter in Week 9, and Man-
Friday by the Cleveland The Browns had been ex- As he sat backstage inside land’s 12th game. Manziel ziel showed promise against
Browns following two turbu- pected to waive Man- New York’s Radio City Mu- ran for a touchdown in the Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.
lent and troubling seasons. ziel on Wednesday, when sic Hall on draft day, Man- fourth quarter at Buffalo, Manziel, though, was de-
Manziel’s unceremonious free agency opened and ziel famously sent a text to celebrating by rubbing his moted to third string after a
exit — the team sent out a the league began its new a Browns assistant coach fingers together and flash- video surfaced of him par-
brief statement with a few calendar year. The team, urging the team to take ing his signature “money” tying during the team’s bye
stats and no comment — though, waited to see if him so they could “wreck salute, a gesture he later week.
ends a drama-filled stay in they could find a team in- this league” together. Al- ditched after being taunt- Manziel returned to the
Cleveland for the 23-year- terested in making a trade, though other teams passed ed with it by opponents. starting lineup when Mc-
old, who faces an uncer- that way they wouldn’t on the Texas A&M star, the Manziel’s first career start Cown broke his collarbone
tain future on and off the have to pay Manziel the Browns traded two picks to couldn’t have gone worse. and led the Browns to a
field. For the first time since $2.1 million he’s still owed move up and take him with He threw two intercep- win over San Francisco. He
he started throwing a foot- for the next two years. the No. 22 pick, a selection tions and was sacked three made two more starts, but
ball as a kid while growing But nobody wanted to they would later regret. times in a 30-0 loss to Cin- sustained a concussion on
up in Texas, Manziel isn’t a give up anything for Man- There were disturbing signs cinnati. The following week Dec. 27 at Kansas City.
wanted player and he’s ziel, who was in Vegas last before he got to his first he sustained a hamstring Manziel wasn’t required to
contending with possible weekend and has been training camp as Manziel injury that ended his sea- be at Cleveland’s finale,
criminal charges for a re- spotted in nightclubs was photographed floating son, and Manziel was sus- but he skipped a required
cent domestic incident around Los Angeles the on an inflatable swan while pended by coach Mike medical checkup and the
in which his ex-girlfriend past few days. swigging champagne. Pettine for the finale when team wasn’t sure of his
claimed he struck and Manziel played in 14 games The Browns had concerns, he failed to show up for the whereabouts amid reports
threatened to kill her. for the Browns. He passed but there was no denying team’s walk-through. he was in Vegas, hitting the
The Browns drafted Man- for 1,675 yards with seven his impact on Cleveland’s Following his rookie season, clubs while wearing a dis-
ziel in the first round in 2014, touchdowns and seven in- die-hard fans, still waiting Manziel said he regretted guise.
hoping he could not only terceptions. for a Super Bowl appear- not taking his job more seri- The alarming events involv-
be their long-term solution And now that he’s no lon- ance. The quickly scooped ously and vowed to come ing Crowley in Texas, in-
at quarterback but revive ger with the Browns, Man- up tickets and cleared off back better. In January, cluding police using a he-
a sluggish franchise. ziel has other issues to han- store clothing racks of his he entered a treatment licopter to locate Manziel,
Instead, he was a two-year dle. On Feb. 25, Dallas po- No. 2 jerseys during the center to get help for an who indicated he might
headache that wouldn’t lice referred their domestic early stages of “Manziel- unspecified addiction. He harm himself, were the final
go away. violence case against him mania.” left after 73 days, and there straw for the Browns.q
Cleveland couldn’t handle to a grand jury, which will
any more lies, parties or dis- exam evidence against
tractions. Manziel. His ex-girlfriend,
Manziel entered the NFL Colleen Crowley, accused
amid fanfare and with Manziel of striking her in the
a party-boy reputation, head during a night out on
which only grew thanks to Jan. 30. Crowley told po-
nearly constant exposure lice Manziel hit her so hard,
on social media. While he she temporarily lost hearing
was with the Browns hard- in one ear.
ly a week passed without Manziel is also being inves-
there being a photo or vid- tigated by the NFL, which
eo of Manziel, usually with could suspend him for his
a drink in his hand, out hav- off-field behavior. He was
ing a good time. cleared by the league in
But he paid for all those late October following a similar
nights in bars and clubs as incident with Crowley.
Manziel hasn’t developed With Manziel gone, the
the work ethic needed to Browns will take another
succeed and he wound swing at finding a franchise
up spending more than 10 quarterback in this year’s
weeks following his rookie draft or through a trade.
season in a Pennsylvania They have the No. 2 over-
rehab facility specializing in all pick, and it’s safe to as-
alcohol and drug abuse. sume they’ll be even more
The Browns supported him diligent in checking back-
