Johnny Manziel to remain benched against Bengals

Cleveland Browns starting quarterback Josh McCown has been placed on season-ending IR with a broken collarbone, but that does not mean Johnny Manziel is being let out of the timeout corner.

The Browns announced on Wednesday that Austin Davis will start against the Cincinnati Bengals this weekend.

“Austin took advantage of his opportunity on Monday night,” Browns coach Mike Pettine said via the team’s website. “He was prepared, played well and put us in position to win. He’s been great in the quarterback room all season and he has earned the right to start on Sunday. We expect him to play well.”

Manziel was demoted to third-string for Monday night’s game against the Baltimore Ravens after a video of him partying during the bye week surfaced. Pettine stuck to his decision after McCown got hurt, and Davis helped tie the game at 27 late in the fourth quarter with a 42-yard touchdown pass. Fans who could be heard chanting “Johnny! Johnny!” aren’t going to get their wish, at least for another week.

Manziel’s future with the Browns is very much in question, as one reporter believes the team is ready to part ways with him. Despite his many screw-ups (like the incident involving his girlfriend before the party video), Manziel is just 22. The Browns drafted him in the first round for a reason. They might decide to give him one more season to prove himself.