Cleveland Browns: Johnny Manziel’s Lesson To Learn
It wasn’t that long ago that he was creating magic in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on a mid November afternoon. It wasn’t that long ago that he received a massive applause for the achievement of winning Heisman trophy. It wasn’t that long ago that he flashed the money sign after being selected 22nd overall by the Cleveland Browns in the 2014 NFL Draft. Now it has come to this:
Not even two full years since embarking on a professional career is Johnny Manziel now searching for more than just another team. He’s now searching for an opportunity to better himself in life. Or at least we think he is.
I will be the first to admit, I backed Manziel 100% coming out of college. Did I agree with most of the antics that he decided to partake in while a collegiate athlete? Not necessarily.
Manziel seemed to collect misdemeanors such as disorderly conduct and failure to identify among others. However, when speaking of the “college life”, Manziel wasn’t the first wild, party-going student-athlete and he won’t be the last. It seemed obvious that Manziel needed guidance.
However, at that stage of his career, the rebellious nature of Manziel was already firmly entrenched into the minds of many including himself. Next stop: 2014 NFL Draft.
May 8th, 2014
Going 22nd overall to Cleveland that day, Manziel was the next contestant to help resurrect the Cleveland Browns franchise. As he made his way across the stage, you had the sense that either two outcomes were destined to occur: Either a highly-polarized quarterback in Manziel would ironically pull the Browns from the depths of the NFL basement or this was two dysfunctional forces destined to have a head-on collision.
His rookie season started with a dud as he didn’t see extensive playing time until Week 12 on the road against the Buffalo Bills. A losing effort was overshadowed by Manziel going 5-for-8 for 63 yards and rushing for one touchdown.
Two weeks later, Manziel got his first start. Along with that first start was a dreadful performance against rival Cincinnati Bengals as he tossed for only 80 yards and two interceptions.
The next week Manziel came up short once again as he completed 37% of his passes for only 32 yards while racking up another loss against the Carolina Panthers. A 2014 rookie season littered with losses, sketchy play, and a growing amount of doubters even within the Browns organization. Little did we know that the 2014 season was just the tip of the Manziel iceberg.
The 2015 season showed slight improvement for Manziel. Earning a couple of wins, tossing for 1,500 yards, with seven touchdowns and five interceptions. Yet, his stat line took a backseat.
Took a backseat to incidents such as physical altercations his then girlfriend, partying hard at the worst opportune time during the season, seen partying in Vegas the night before a game, skipping out on team medical protocol for a reported concussion, give released by his marketing agency AND his agent, to eventually getting cut by the Cleveland Browns and going unclaimed by 31 other teams.
“Not even two full years since embarking on a professional career is Johnny Manziel now searching for more than just another team”
Just as JaMarcus Russell, Ryan Leaf, and Vince Young, the off-the-field issues accompanied the bountiful on-the-field hurdles. This isn’t a featured film that we haven’t seen before. Yet, the Manziel story has it’s own seal of authentication.
What gives this escapade it’s “value” is the fact that this is an organization that has a long line of epic draft failures. The latest one seems to keep the Browns stuck, again. Just as they did after Brady Quinn, Tim Couch, Brandon Weeden, Trent Richardson, William Green…Geez. That’s enough.
Now Manziel has an even tougher task than he did as a designated franchise quarterback. That task is to better himself as a person. It’s possible that we may never see Manziel on the football field ever again. It’s also possible that Manziel can learn from this.
In that manner, it is up to him. We’ve seen over the years the cries for help snowball to this. A young, former Heisman trophy winner, full of promise and talent, now searching for a team as well as a straight-and-narrow path.
If he doesn’t realize the lesson from this, when will he?