Johnny Football still has the locker room, apparently.
Johnny Manziel’s off-the-field behavior continues to cause a stir in the media, but it sounds like the Browns quarterback hasn’t lost the support of his teammates. At least one anonymous teammate wants Manziel to be Cleveland’s signal caller next season, according to TMZ Sports.
“Most guys on this team want him to be the one leading us next year,” the unnamed teammate told TMZ Sports.
The TMZ Sports report comes on the heels of Manziel again making headlines for some troublesome antics. The polarizing QB showed up late Saturday for treatment on his injured hamstring while several Browns players missed the team’s morning walk-through. A report indicated that Manziel threw a big party Friday night, though he has since denied the allegations.
Either way, Manziel acknowledged Monday his rookie season was a learning experience. The unnamed teammate tends to agree, adding that Manziel hasn’t been a bad teammate since being drafted 22nd overall by Cleveland in the 2014 NFL Draft.
“He’s still learning. He’s still a rookie,” the teammate told TMZ Sports. “He needs more time to figure out life at the next level.”
Manziel, who turned 22 earlier this month, appeared in only five games during his rookie campaign. He started only two. The Browns have a lot of uncertainty surrounding their quarterback situation, though, so it’s unsurprising that not everyone is jumping ship.
“He has to live his life,” the teammate told TMZ Sports. “As long as next year we compete for the playoffs, guys in this locker room will support him in his maturation process.
“We all know his talent and we will help him on and off the field to get this thing going in the right direction.”
The Browns finished the 2014 season with a 7-9 record.
Thumbnail photo via Ken Blaze/USA TODAY Sports Images
