Johnny Manziel officially named as starting quarterback versus 49ers

In a statement by Browns head coach Mike Pettine posted on the team’s website, he said, “Johnny will be our starting quarterback on Sunday”.

Pettine is giving Manziel another chance after the second-year QB broke a promise that he wouldn’t become a distraction when the team was off last month. He was named Cleveland’s starter for the final six games before partying away the opportunity.

He was demoted to third string, but moved up one spot last week when Josh McCown sustained a season-ending collarbone break.

“It would be hard for me to sit here and say, ‘We have a zero-tolerance policy, ‘” Pettine said. A win or at least a good game against the 49ers could help his chances of sticking around passed this season. The Browns were non-competitive with Austin Davis at quarterback in the latest defeat, generating a pedestrian 273 total yards in a 37-3 drubbing by AFC North-leading Cincinnati last week. Davis didn’t do anything to lose his job, but not enough to hang on to it either. With the offensive line severely banged up, Amendola, Edleman and Gronkowski have all been out or limited by injury, the team became vulnerable and lost two closely fought games against the Broncos and the Eagles.

In what has been a rollercoaster of a season for Cleveland Browns wide receiver Terrelle Pryor, it looks as though he could finally see his first regular season game action on Sunday, when the Browns host the San Francisco 49ers.

Manziel’s return should fill some empty seats in FirstEnergy Stadium and add spice to an otherwise mundane matchup between two teams already looking toward next year.

The Browns finished last week’s game against the Bengals with two healthy receivers.

Kentucky Sports Radio’s Matt Jones compares Drew Barker to Johnny Manziel and believes Mark Stoops’ future could depend on him.

“I don’t know how certain things got out or what certain people say”, Manziel said.

There is no doubt that with a 2-10 record and sitting last in the American Football Conference (AFC) North, the Browns will again have a losing season. What you strive for is respect of your teammates and trust of your coaches, and it’s even more so when you’re a starting quarterback. With this being said, if the season ended today the Browns would be inline for the number one overall pick in next year’s National Football League draft.

“(Johnny) has had production – you don’t throw for 375 yards on the road in Pittsburgh by accident”, Pettine said. “Now is there obviously times where I need to be better and act the way I want to each and every day, every second of every day?” He made more headlines with his antics outside of football last season and spent 10 weeks during the winter in a Pennsylvania rehab facility specializing in treatment for alcohol and substance abuse.