Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel might have taken his partying a bit too far.
Browns head coach Mike Pettine said earlier this week that Manziel’s off-the-field behavior would be a “non-story” by the time the season rolled around. But if Manziel’s job performance started to take a hit, Pettine said, there would be cause for concern.
That time appears to be now.
Manziel has been lackluster on the practice field, and some in the organization are “alarmed” and blame it on the extra-curricular activities, sources told Northeast Ohio Media Group.
Manziel has been everywhere from Los Angeles to San Antonio this offseason, partying among the likes of Justin Bieber and Floyd Mayweather. The constant antics are something Manziel said would stop once his time with Texas A&M was over. That clearly hasn’t been the case.
The quarterback competition will be tough, regardless of whether Manziel is partying or not. Brian Hoyer, who threw for 615 yards and five touchdowns in three games before suffering a season-ending injury last season, appears to be the front-runner for the Browns’ QB job.
Pettine said it will not be easy for Manziel to beat out the incumbent.
“He’s learning something that’s completely new to him, so he’s got all new verbiage and reads and that type of thing working against him,” Pettine said. “And then the guy he’s competing with is an NFL veteran who’s learned from one of the best in the game, who’s very prepared, very focused. It’s a very true statement, it will be difficult.”
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