Browns coach Mike Pettine on Tuesday laughed off the idea that Cleveland is ready to dump Johnny Manziel.
Asked about a report from ESPN's Chris Mortensen stating that the team has "90 percent moved on" from the second-year quarterback, Pettine told reporters: "I filed that one in the ridiculous category when it was brought to my attention."
"I use that number 90 percent, too, about the accuracy of reports that are out there, being 90 percent inaccurate," Pettine said. "I don't know where (Mortensen) would have gotten that from. (Manziel is) very much in our plans, and as we said, his career with us just hit the pause button. We've said this before, he's got to get himself right as a person first before we worry about Johnny the football player."
Manziel rejoined the Brownsthis week for the start of their offseason program after spending two-plus months in a treatment facility. Pettine said he met personally with the quarterback, who told him, "Don't judge me on my words. Judge me on my actions."
"He doesn't expect treatment any other way," Pettine said. "...I know that 'persona' stuff is out there, but if you ask the players, and they're probably the best ones to ask, I don't think they see that they feel the need or have ever felt the need to treat him any differently."
It's encouraging to hear a team leader like cornerback Joe Haden tell reporters that Manziel, post-rehab, now has his "mind right". Still, the Browns have one of the sketchiest quarterback situations league-wide, largely because Johnny remains a comprehensive wild card at the NFL level.
If there's a comeback story here, it must start immediately with Manziel winning back the locker room he let down one season ago.
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