Johnny Manziel trick play should have been called unsportsmanlike conduct
By Hayden Kane
The Cleveland Browns caught the attention of the football world when they threw the ball to Johnny Manziel on a gadget play on Sunday afternoon.
The long gain was called back during the game due to a penalty on running back Terrance West. As it turns out, the play would have been called back anyway because there should have also been a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.
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In order to get Manziel so wide open down the sidelines, the Browns created the impression that he was not on the field at all. They had him mill about near the sidelines and act like he was just having a chat with offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, leaving him completely uncovered for the play.
That is why he was so open, but that was also the reason unsportsmanlike conduct should have been called on the Browns. Pat McManamon of ESPN.com explains why the league office says a penalty should have been called:
"The league office, though, referred to page 64 of the rule book, which states unsportsmanlike conduct is “Using entering substitutes, legally returning players, substitutes on sidelines, or withdrawn players to confuse opponents, including lingering by players leaving the field after being replaced by a substitute and an offensive player lining up or going in motion less than five yards from the sideline in front of his team’s designated bench area. However, an offensive player is permitted to line up less than five yards from the sidelines on the same side as his team’s player bench, provided he is not in front of the designated bench area.”"
The Browns insist that they believe Manziel was lined up legally. Here is what Manziel was up to right before the ball was snapped.
The debate is rendered moot by West’s penalty, of course, but it would have been interesting to hear all the hot takes if this play had stood, only to have the league office say it was illegal after the fact.
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