The Cleveland Browns have not announced any disciplinary action for Johnny Manziel in the wake of his latest off-field incident, but one former NFL head coach believes the police encounter should cost Manziel his job.
During the NFL on CBS pregame show Sunday, Cowher said the Browns should cut Manziel.
“I’ve watched Johnny Manziel now for a year and a half and I think he’s a backup quarterback at best. And he’s a distraction off the field,” the former Pittsburgh Steelers coach said, per Mary Kay Cabot of Northeast Ohio Media Group. “And listen, I believe in second chances but after the second chance, to me there’s a zero-tolerance policy. He can’t put himself into the position he put himself into.
“I would ask for his release and I would do it for this reason: in that locker room players want accountability … and that’s the message that needs to be sent right here, that you’re accountable for your actions both on the field and off the field.”
The Browns chose not to deactivate Manziel for Sunday’s game against the Denver Broncos, and head coach Mike Pettine refused to address the incident from last week on the heels of a 26-23 overtime loss.
No charges were filed against Manziel after police questioned him and his girlfriend Colleen Crowley. Still, it was a bad enough argument that witnesses called police. Manziel also admitted he had been drinking earlier in the day, which is a major concern for someone who went to alcohol rehab during the offseason.
The Browns are reportedly concerned about Manziel, and so is one of his mentors. If Cowher was in charge, that concern would translate to a divorce.
