Mired in a five-game losing streak and going nowhere fast, at least this season, the Cleveland Browns have decided to see what they have in second-year quarterback Johnny Manziel and will have him start the remainder of the team's games this season.
Fox Sports' Jay Glazer was first with the news.
Manziel has started three games this year, but all of those opportunities came when Josh McCown was unavailable due to injury (he suffered a concussion in Week 1 that kept him out of Week 2 and has missed the last two contests due to shoulder and rib injuries).
Sunday against AFC North rival Pittsburgh, Manziel had his best statistical game as a starter, completing over 70 percent of his passes (33-for-45) for 372 yards, with one touchdown and one interception; he was strip-sacked on the Browns' first snap of the afternoon, leading to a quick field goal for the Steelers. The Browns lost, 30-9.
Cleveland coach Mike Pettine said on Monday he wasn't ready to name Manziel the team's starter, but he praised the young quarterback.
"He showed significant progress," Pettine told reporters. "That was one of the better quarterback performances. You take the first play out – which you can't forget about. The ball skipped out of his hands – the fact he rallied from that, on the road in that environment – I've seen where things have gone bad early and guys go in the tank and they get that glazed look in their eye.
"He was the exact opposite. He was loose. He was into it."
Manziel has had his share of off-field issues, including an incident last month with his girlfriend, but Pettine has seen growth from Manziel, at least on the field and around the Browns' facility.
"Kind of given what he's gone through, you're just proud of the kid and happy for him. I just wish we had a better result from a team standpoint because he played his ass off," Pettine said.
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