Johnny Manziel apologizes to Browns, fans after stint in rehab
Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel looks on during a baseball game Tuesday between the Angels and the
Johnny Manziel issued an apology Friday to the Cleveland Browns and the team’s fans following his release last weekend from a rehabilitation treatment facility.
“I owe private apologies to a lot of people that I disappointed but a very public one to the Browns organization and the fans that I let down,” Manziel said in a statement released by the Browns. “I take full responsibility for my actions and it’s my intention to work very hard to regain everyone’s trust and respect. I understand that will take time and will only happen through what I do and not what I say.”
Manziel entered a treatment program in January after a disastrous rookie season with the Browns that saw him complete just 18 of 35 passes for 175 yards and muster a passer rating of just 42.0.
Calls for the Heisman Trophy winner to play were loudest before his first season began, but Brian Hoyer won the starting job. Manziel appeared om five games.
This isn’t the 22-year-old’s first apology as a pro.
Manziel’s penchant for partying got him into trouble after his season had ended because of a hamstring injury. He missed a treatment session and was fined by the Browns the same day that Josh Gordon was suspended for missing the team’s walkthrough before their final game of the season.
His actions also may have cost him in the locker room as well. Browns left tackle Joe Thomas said Manziel has probably lost a lot of trust from his teammates and will need to prove football is his priority.
The Browns have not announced who their starting quarterback will be next season, though the team signed journeyman quarterback Josh McCown, who played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year, during the off-season.
“I look forward to seeing my teammates next week and focusing on football and my desire to be the best possible player, teammate and man that I can be,” Manziel said.
The Browns will begin their off-season workouts on Monday in Berea, Ohio, with their first scheduled organized team activity on May 26.
Follow Matt Wilhalme on Twitter @mattwilhalme
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