Johnny Manziel Named Starter vs. 49ers: Latest Comments, Reaction

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I'd guess the Rams will be first in line for whoever comes available of Kaepernick, RGIII, Peyton, Manziel, Bradford, Cutler etc etc.

— Cian Fahey (@Cianaf) December 8, 2015"

Johnny Manziel's latest benching lasted all of two weeks. Cleveland Browns head coach Mike Pettine announced Tuesday that Manziel will take over for Austin Davis as the team's starting quarterback for Sunday's game against the San Francisco 49ers.

"Johnny will be our starting quarterback on Sunday," Pettine said.

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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"We want to see him play. We want to see improvements he's made. Added responsibility when NFL QB, big part of it," Pettine said Wednesday, per Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "We've got four games left, this will give us a good sense of where we are w/ that room moving forward"

Manziel said he doesn't view the last four weeks of the season as his last chance, saying, "I haven't [gotten] that impression from this organization," per Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal.

Pettine is confident Manziel understands that "to be a starting QB in this league it's more than what you do on the field," according to Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 The Fan. 

He also suggested the Browns will hold him accountable if more off-the-field issues arise, saying "If something were to occur, I imagine repercussions would be Harsh," per Cabot.

Manziel, 23, had been benched prior to Week 11 for his off-field behavior. Reports surfaced in November saying Manziel lied to Pettine when videos of his partying during the team's bye week were posted on social media. The former Heisman Trophy winner spent part of last offseason in a rehabilitation facility for alcohol abuse. Pettine released a statement at the time in regard to Manziel's demotion:

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Everyone in this organization wants what is best for Johnny just like we do for every player in our locker room. I'm especially disappointed in his actions and behavior because he has been working very hard. The improvements from last year to this year have been tremendous but he still has to consistently demonstrate that he has gained a good understanding of what it takes to be successful at the quarterback position on this level. It goes well beyond the field.

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While the benching was initially expected to be for the remainder of the season, circumstances forced Pettine's hand. First, starter Josh McCown went out for the rest of the year with a broken collarbone. Next, Pettine watched Davis play football.

Davis, 26, threw for 230 yards and an interception in his lone start, a 37-3 shellacking at the hands of the Cincinnati Bengals. The former undrafted free agent accounted for both Browns turnovers and did not complete a pass of longer than 24 yards. Cleveland failed to record 50 yards on any drive.

"I commend Austin because I thought he hung in there," Pettine said, per Brian Dulik of the Chronicle-Telegram. "I know he had to get rid of the ball a couple of times and had a couple of penalties, but I thought he was poised. They were able to generate some pressure, but he was into it."

The about-face may be more about the Browns' future than anything. At 2-10, the team already knows Davis isn't its franchise quarterback. Manziel's behavior has made it highly unlikely he's the team's long-term option, either.

Cian Fahey of Bleacher Report already speculated about an offseason destination: 

That said, the Browns need to know he's a lost cause before giving up. Manziel's final game before the benching saw him throw for 372 yards and a touchdown against an interception in a 30-9 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was by far Manziel's best professional game as a passer, and he's never so much as had a three-game stretch as a full-time starter.

Make no mistake: This is Manziel's one and only real audition. If he fails, he'll be gone. If he succeeds, it's still possible he's gone; the Browns could use this four-game stretch as a trade springboard. But Pettine has nothing to lose at this point, and putting Manziel in may be the only way he saves his job.

Follow Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) on Twitter.