The Johnny Football reign in Cleveland is officially over.
Except, it wasn’t really a reign.
The Browns used the 22nd pick of the 2014 NFL Draft to draft the former Heisman Trophy winner, making Johnny Manziel the second quarterback off the board in the first round (the Jaguars passed on the Texas A&M QB, selecting UCF signal-caller Blake Bortles at #3). Despite showing promise during the preseason, Manziel was eventually named the second-string quarterback behind Brian Hoyer. However, after Hoyer’s inconsistent play, Manziel was given an opportunity to play, but he was only mildly effective. His best showing came during a September regular season match-up against the Titans this past season, in which he bested Marcus Mariota–the 2nd pick in the 2015 draft–and his Tennessee Titans in a 28-14 victory.
Whatever talent Manziel possessed on the field was continually hindered by his off-field antics. The Browns organization consistently took issues with Manziel’s consistent partying and drinking, and Manziel eventually checked himself into a rehab center for the treatment of alcohol addiction at the end of the 2014-2015 season. More recently, the troubled QB was accused of physically assaulting and threatening to kill his girlfriend in Dallas.
Last month, ESPN’s Pat McMananom reported that the Browns had plans to release Manziel in March.
