Former Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel has “no love” for his former team, he said during a podcast interview.
Manziel, 32, was critical of the Browns and his time in Cleveland during an appearance on “Nightcap,” hosted by former NFL stars Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson, on Monday.
A collegiate superstar at Texas A&M, “Johnny Football” was drafted by the Browns with the 22nd pick in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft. However, the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner never lived up to his expectations in the NFL, making only eight starts in 14 games played in two seasons with Cleveland from 2014-15.
“I sit here today and I go back and forth with ‘man, am I going to let Cleveland off the hook and just let it go?’ Or am I going to sit here with hate and animosity in my heart for the rest of my life?,” Manziel said. “I finally sit here today and I’m like, ‘(expletive) it, I think I’m gonna be pissed at them and hate them forever. It is what it is. No love for the Browns. I’m rooting for 0-16 seasons every season.”
The NFL played 16 regular season games per team from 1978-2020 before increasing to 17 regular season games beginning in 2021.
Manziel went 2-6 in his eight starts for the Browns, completing 57% of his passes for 1,675 yards, seven touchdowns and seven interceptions. His time in Cleveland was also marred by off-field incidents, including rumors of him being in Las Vegas the night before a game while being listed on the Browns’ injury report with a concussion.
Manziel has also previously said the Browns’ quarterback room was contentious during his two seasons there, specifically pointing to former QB Brian Hoyer.
“Was Cleveland the best situation to go to? Did they help me, knowing all the things they knew about me, with all of the research and everything? Did they put me in the best situation? Absolutely not,” Manziel said during his “Nightcap” appearance. “It was not the right situation for me.
“But when it comes down to it, you take all of that aside and you throw it away, and you look in the mirror and say ‘I let an amazing opportunity slip. It’s on me.’ I’m the one that has to sit with myself every single night as I watch college football or NFL football and be like, ‘Damn, I would be in my 12th year. I would be X, Y and Z.’ I’m the one that has to lay my head on the pillow every night and be like, ‘That coulda, woulda, shoulda, but it wasn’t,” he added.
Manziel also took issue with the amount of criticism he’s received for being an NFL “bust,” and pointed to former Browns teammate Justin Gilbert as an example. Gilbert, a collegiate star at Oklahoma State, was drafted by the Browns with the eighth pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, 14 picks ahead of Manziel at 22.
Gilbert signed a four-year, $12.8 million rookie contract with the Browns. Manziel, meanwhile, signed a four-year, $8.25 million rookie contract with Cleveland.
“I wanted to be that pick,” Manziel said. “If we were talking about going to Cleveland, I wanted to go to Cleveland at (pick number) six. I wanted to go to Cleveland at four or whatever the pick was. If you’re gonna send me to Ohio, at least send me with $20 million instead of $8 (million).”
After his two seasons in the NFL, Manziel signed with the Canadian Football League’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats in May 2018. However, he was barred from the CFL the following year after he violated unspecified conditions set by the league.
Manziel acknowledged that he’s searched for new career opportunities after his football carer, and took accountability for his NFL shortcomings with the Browns.
“At the end of the day, a lot of my life as I’ve been out of football has been what am I going to be able to do to find a spark? To be able to happy? To be able to give me something like football did give me,” Manziel said. “And you know what, maybe it wasn’t meant to be for me.
“I didn’t put in the time or the effort and determination that you need to be great. That was just maybe my stupidity, my youth or what is was meant to be. Nevertheless, I take accountability for everything and what it is. I really didn’t harm anybody other than myself when it’s all said and done,” he added.
“I’ve never understood Manziel’s bitterness towards Cleveland,” said Dan Labbe, Cleveland Browns reporter for cleveland.com / The Plain Dealer. “He only has himself to blame for not working out here and for some reason seems intent on blaming everything but himself. This is just another typical attempt by him to grab some attention.”
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