On Johnny Manziel the liar and his future in Cleveland

Nov 15, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel (2) passes the ball against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Johnny Manziel has continued to make himself look bad, leaving the team with a tough decision regarding his future in Cleveland.

What are we to do?

Johnny Manziel had to fight all season to earn the starting role only to lose it for one of the most asinine reasons possible. He lied.

Instead of owning up to another mistake of his, he did what any seven year-old kid would do and lied. And told his friends to lie too.

I have been a Manziel supporter since he was drafted to the team last season. He had his history of issues, and those rolled over into the 2014 season. But then he went to rehab and it seemed like he finally figured out how he needed to turn his life around.

I want to say that he fooled us all, but that would just be naive. There was never a true sense that he figured it all out. The incident with his girlfriend in the car was a sign of things to come, with the ultimate sign being a bottle of champagne most of us could not afford.

So now Manziel is the Browns’ third string quarterback. The fact this team is 2-8 minimizes the problem of Manziel’s actions, but they still carry a great deal of importance for this team’s future. Specifically, a future involving Johnny Manziel.

But should there even be talk of a future?

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It would be hard to fault the team if Manziel was let go, as he is more of a distraction than a help on the field. But there must be something there, besides a contract, that is keeping him around.

Lying to his coach’s face shows his immaturity, but perhaps Mike Pettine sees that there is still great potential that is just waiting to be channeled.

Or maybe Ray Farmer and/or Jimmy Haslam told Pettine he has no choice but to have Manziel on his team.

If the former is the case, it shows the newfound stability that is in place, which is something this franchise has desperately missed since the team came back to Cleveland.

Coming out and explaining to the media that the team will continue to stand behind Manziel shows fans how an NFL franchise is supposed to run. Coaches are supposed to stand behind their players, or risk losing the trust of the rest of the roster.

For if a coach rips on one of his players to the media, other players will worry that the same may happen to them. And no one wants to play for a coach that cannot be trusted. Mike Pettine may be what this team has needed, and fans will need to be patient for success to come, as the problems with this team stretch far beyond the antics of Manziel.

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