The name Johnny Manziel still stings in Cleveland. Ten years later, the former Heisman Trophy winner isn’t backing down from that pain, and his latest comments show the wounds between him and the Browns may never heal.
Why Does Johnny Manziel Still Harbor Resentment Toward Cleveland?
Cleveland Browns fans hoped Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel would be their answer behind center after selecting him No. 22 overall in the 2014 NFL Draft. Instead, the relationship between the once electrifying quarterback and struggling franchise quickly deteriorated.
Manziel didn’t hold back when discussing his former team, with whom he spent two tumultuous seasons before being released. He appeared in 14 games for the Browns, starting eight. He completed 148 of 258 passes for 1,675 yards, seven touchdowns and seven interceptions. His time in Cleveland is widely considered a massive disappointment.
“I think I will always be looked at and viewed at because of how much hype and media and everything that was around me, and the city of Cleveland expecting me to be great, and that ultimately not panning out,” Manziel said on the “Nightcap” podcast. “I sit here today and I’m like, ‘Fuck it, I think I’m going to be pissed at them and hate them forever.’ So it is what it is, man.”
“No love for the Browns, I’m rooting for 0-16 seasons every season.”
The Browns are one of two teams to have gone 0-16 in NFL history. They achieved that dubious distinction in 2017, two years after releasing the former Texas A&M star. The league now plays a 17-game schedule.
What Role Did Manziel’s Choices Play in His Cleveland Downfall?
Despite his harsh words for Cleveland, Manziel reflected on his own decisions, accelerating the end of his professional quarterback career. He regularly partied in other cities while with the Browns, creating distractions that overshadowed his on-field struggles. He spent 10 weeks in rehab after his rookie season, giving Cleveland another red flag to point to as he couldn’t establish himself on the field.
“Was Cleveland the best situation for me to go to?” Manziel asked rhetorically. “Did they help me, knowing all the things they knew about me, with all the research and everything, did they put me in the best situation? Absolutely not. It was not the right situation for me. But when it comes down to it, you take all of that aside and you throw it away, you look in the mirror and you say, ‘I let an amazing opportunity slip. It’s on me.'”
After being released by Cleveland, Manziel’s football journey took him far from the NFL spotlight. He played for the Canadian Football League’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Montreal Alouettes. He also suited up for the Alliance of American Football’s Memphis Express and the Zappers of Fan Controlled Football. He never returned to the NFL.
