Johnny Manziel is stuck on the bench for the Cleveland Browns while other rookie quarterbacks are starting around the NFL, but the former Heisman winner insists he’s not jealous
The Cleveland Browns spent their second of two first round picks in the 2014 NFL Draft on former Texas A&M and 2012 Heisman winner Johnny Manziel with the assumption that he would be the team’s starting quarterback this year.
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That has not been the case as veteran quarterback and Ohio native Brian Hoyer has played exceptionally well with a quarterback rating similar to Andrew Luck and Russell Wilson and better than Drew Brees and Tom Brady with only one interception during the team’s 3-2 start.
Manziel realizes he is one play away from getting in the game and starting for Mike Pettine’s team and joining fellow first round picks Blake Bortles and Teddy Bridgewater as well as second round pick Derek Carr as starters in this league, but as he bides his time on the bench, he admits he’s happy for his fellow rookie quarterbacks.
South Bound & Down
"“I’m happy for those guys,” Manziel said, via the Akron Beacon Journal. “They’re obviously getting a chance to come in early and contribute to teams and that’s the situation they’re in. That could’ve been my situation here. So far, that’s not the case.”"
Manziel said his time off the field has allowed him to grow more comfortable and confident in the Browns playbook and get him ready to play should Hoyer suffer an injury and is making sure to be prepared in the event his number is called.
“It’s all about how you handle it when you’re not on the field and continuing to try and better yourself, even when it’s really hard, making sure you’re on top of yourself and really hard on yourself, continuing to make sure that you’re ready to go. So I think how you prepare with the time you’re not on the field and your number’s not being called is really what sets you apart.”
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