Johnny Football's national showcase on Monday Night Football might not happen because of a video showing him enjoying the nightlife again.
Cleveland Browns coach Mike Pettine said Tuesday that he's considering benching Johnny Manziel for the game against the Baltimore Ravens. This comes exactly a week after Pettine said that Manziel would be the starter for the rest of the season.
"To whom much is given much is expected," Pettine said ominously.
Pettine repeatedly said that he will address the topic more fully on Wednesday once he gets more "details" on the video. But it's clear he wanted to send a message Tuesday to Manziel and possibly others in the organization.
"It's a little easier to handle when it's just a one-time occurrence, but when behavior repeats, not just him but with anybody, it's certainly a cause for concern," Pettine said. "... When things like this happen, and not just him, but just in general -- any team when you have incidents like that, a guy knows that he represents more than himself and has issues off the field -- it is frustrating."
The video seemed harmless enough without context. It simply showed Manziel holding a champagne bottle at a club in Austin, Texas. But Manziel's off-field behavior has been a sore spot with the Browns organization since he was drafted. Manziel admitted he didn't take his job seriously enough as a rookie, and spent 10 weeks in the offseason in a Pennsylvania rehab facility specializing in alcohol and substance abuse. Manziel was cleared of any wrongdoing in a domestic violence incident last week.
Manziel gave Pettine no other choice but to name him the starter with a promising effort against the Steelers in Week 10 before the team's bye week. But Manziel's inability to stay out of the headlines was clearly frustrating to Pettine.
Pettine confirmed that Josh McCown is healthy enough to start if the team chooses to do so. After this public warning, a switch back to McCown wouldn't be a surprise. Pettine says that he's spoken to general manager Ray Farmer and owner Jimmy Haslam about the video. Pettine also wouldn't say if the organization would require Manziel to seek more help in a treatment facility.
"It's disappointing. Very," Pettine said.
UPDATE: The Brownsannounced Tuesday afternoon that Johnny Manziel has been benched for Monday night's game. Josh McCown will get the nod. Manziel has additionally been demoted to third-string quarterback.
