Johnny Manziel Downgraded to QB No

Pettine has declined to comment on the details of his meeting with Manziel, but hinted at a breakdown in trust with the player. There was no better proof than last Sunday against Pittsburgh.

The move acted as a tryout of sorts, giving Manziel an extended period to prove himself after only seeing limited opportunities through his first two seasons.

“But sometimes you”™ve got to take a step back to take a few forward. We told him yesterday – this isn’t a dead end. This is a hurdle. It is an obstacle.’ Part of success in athletics is dealing in adversity.

Pettine added that they did give Manziel a warning about engaging in off-field activities before their bye week. Well see how he handles it, ” Pettine said. We do have a much better sense than we did a year ago. “I think he’s healthy, ready to roll”. “I wanted to see him. It’s something that is regrettable but we feel we had to do”. And Pettine said Wednesday that “it was made reasonably clear” to Manziel that he was working on a zero-tolerance policy over the break. “I informed the quarterbacks of that decision after I sat down and spoke with Johnny, Flip [John DeFilippo, offensive coordinator] and Kevin [O’Connell, quarterbacks coach] after practice today”.

Manziel was downgraded from starter to third string when a video surfaced of him partying during Cleveland’s bye week in an Austin, Texas, club.

“(I was) obviously disappointed – not just because I’m a broadcaster, ” said Gruden, a Sandusky, Ohio native and friend of Browns owner Jimmy Haslam. “That trust was violated.”.

Pettine was asked Wednesday if Manziel admitted the video was from last weekend.

“Of course, Manziel”™s partying is a concern because of his history. He spent 10 weeks in rehab during the offseason and seemed to be a more low-key person afterward. He’s not going to let it slow him down. “There”™s no personal rift between he and I. Williams is expected to undergo surgery in the near future to fix a “meniscal issue” that never really healed enough that he could return.

“I’m not going to jump to any more conclusions”, Gruden said. “You know what I mean?”

Manziel would open up the offense in a why that Alex Smith is capable of, but doesn’t do very often.

“We traded for a guy when I first got to Green Bay that Atlanta said was a little bit of a hell-raiser and it turned out OK for us”, Gruden said. “It is very private.”. Josh McCown will start when the Browns (2-8) host the Ravens (3-7) with Austin Davis serving as the backup.

Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area reports (via video) that the San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Tomsula’s fate may not have anything to do with wins or losses but to how well some of the 49ers’ young players progress over the final six games.

NOTES: Pettine said CB Joe Haden, who will miss his fifth game this season with a concussion, has been unable to pass a memory test to get back to his preseason baseline score….