Johnny Manziel Named Browns Starting QB for Rest of Season

The Cleveland Browns announced Tuesday that Johnny Manziel will start at quarterback for the team, beginning with this week's tilt against the San Francisco 49ers.

“Johnny will be our starting quarterback on Sunday,” Browns head coach Mike Pettine said in the release.

He continued:

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He’s been solid in the building over the last couple of weeks and we are hopeful he takes this opportunity to continue to build on the progress he’s made on the field throughout the season. The goal for every game is to go out and win, and Johnny needs to show that he can put us in position to do so during these last four weeks of the season.

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On Dec. 6, Tony Grossi of ESPN.com said he is “hearing [the] Browns will give [the] next four games to Manziel.” ESPN's Chris Mortensen (h/t ESPN's Adam Schefter) cited sources when also reporting that Manziel will be named the Browns' starting quarterback.

When asked if he trusted Manziel, Pettine said the team "hit the reset button." Pettine also said, "I hope so," when asked if Manziel got the point of his demotion.

This comes on the heels of an embarrassing 37-3 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals during which starter Austin Davis did not lead the Cleveland Browns on a single touchdown drive and threw an interception on Sunday. Josh McCown is out for the season after suffering a broken collarbone, so Manziel has an opportunity to seize the starting position.

Per Mortensen, the Browns benched Manziel after “the emergence of video of the quarterback partying in Texas.” Manziel also “lied to the coaching staff about the video of him at clubs in Austin.” The team demoted him to third string against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 12.

Many fans were chanting his name in Cleveland during that 33-27 loss to the Ravens, but the Browns never gave the former Heisman Trophy winner the reins.

Manziel has appeared in six games this season, five of which Cleveland lost, completing 59.4 percent of his passes for 933 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions. While Cleveland scored only nine points, Manziel was impressive against the Pittsburgh Steelers in his last appearance with 372 passing yards on 45 throws.

This is a lost season for the 2-10 Browns, and they eventually have to discover whether Manziel is a franchise quarterback. The only way to determine that is by putting the 23-year-old into game action.

Cleveland will play the 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs and Steelers to finish the year. Of the bunch, only the 49ers are below .500, which means Manziel must prove his mettle against playoff-caliber competition down the stretch if he wants to make a statement heading into the offseason.