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Browns’ Johnny Manziel apologizes for not taking his job seriously

Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel talks with reporters on Dec. 29.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel talks with reporters on Dec. 29.
(Tony Dejak / Associated Press)
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Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel is apologizing, again.

This time he’s taking responsibility for staying out too late partying on Friday night, which caused him to miss a medical treatment for his injured hamstring on Saturday.

“I brought this on myself. I brought these cameras and all these people that are in this locker room right now and I don’t think it’s fair to myself, I don’t think it’s fair to anybody in this locker room the distractions I’ve brought at points in time,” Manziel told the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

“There’s nothing I can sit here and tell you [that will make this go away]. I can’t sit here and talk to these mics or these cameras or anything that’s going to do any good. It’s about actions, it’s about being accountable ...”

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Two of Manziel’s teammates, receiver Josh Gordon and cornerback Justin Gilbert, were suspended for the Browns season finale against the Baltimore Ravens after missing a team meeting that same day. Manziel said he had been with Gordon earlier on Friday but that he was not with the troubled wideout the night of the party.

In two starts for the Browns, Manziel failed to deliver on the hype surrounding the Heisman Trophy winner and 22nd overall pick from the 2014 NFL draft.

He passed for 80 yards with two interceptions in a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, 30-0, and managed 32 yards against the Carolina Panthers before he was knocked out of the game with the hamstring injury.

In another appearance, in relief of Brian Hoyer, Johnny “Football” showed a flash of what he’s capable of, passing for 63 yards and rushing for a 10-yard score against the Buffalo Bills.

Next season, with Hoyer becoming a free agent, the starting job will be Manziel’s to lose.

“He’s gotten himself to the point with me that his actions are much more important than what he says,” Browns Coach Mike Pettine said.

Follow Matt Wilhalme on Twitter @mattwilhalme

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