A text message from Johnny Manziel to Browns quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains during the draft convinced Cleveland that they needed to trade up to select the former Heisman Trophy winner.
Loggains was a guest on Sports Talk with Bo Mattingly on Arkansas ESPN sports radio Thursday and shared the story of how Manziel influenced Cleveland to act.
“We’re sitting there and they keep showing Johnny on TV, and Johnny and I are texting. And he shoots me a text and he says, ‘I wish you guys would come get me. Hurry up and draft me because I want to be there. I want to wreck this league together,'” Loggains recalled, as transcribed by Cleveland.com.
“When I got that text, I forwarded it to the owner and to the head coach (Mike Pettine). I’m like ‘this guy wants to be here. He wants to be part of it.’ As soon as that happened, Mr. Haslam said, ‘pull the trigger. We’re trading up to go get this guy.”’
Loggains also says the Browns explored trades with Tennessee at 11 and Dallas at 16, though they ultimately did not make moves. He says they jumped up to 22 to take Manziel because they believed Kansas City would select him at 23.
Loggains also said Manziel was at the top of the team’s list for quarterbacks, which is pretty notable considering the report that said the Browns were going to take Teddy Bridgewater instead.
We already knew that Cleveland fans liked Manziel, but you better believe they’ll love him after hearing this. Many players — Bridgewater included — want to avoid a place like Cleveland. Manziel wanted to go there. I think this is just another reason why Johnny Football will deliver.
