Mike Pettine Says Johnny Manziel Would Face 'Harsh' Consequences for More Issues

Johnny Manziel's 2015 season has been nothing short of a roller-coaster ride. After being tabbed as the Cleveland Browns' starting quarterback midway through November, the release of a video depicting the second-year signal-caller partying during the team's Week 11 bye sent him to the doghouse. 

But with Josh McCown on injured reserve because of a broken collarbone and Austin Davis nothing more than a middling backup option, Manziel has been afforded a shot at redemption with four games remaining in the regular season. 

However, Browns head coach Mike Pettine made it clear Wednesday the second-year signal-caller needs to stay out of trouble if he ever wants to have a shot at claiming the starting gig for good. 

"[It's] hard to put things in a vacuum," Pettine said, according to ESPN.com's Pat McManamon. "I don't want to sit here and say, 'Look at the degree of discipline.' It's hard to say we have a zero-tolerance policy. If something were to occur, I imagine the repercussions would be harsh."

Manziel spent 10 weeks in a rehab clinic over the offseason, but Pettine told reporters the Browns didn't quite grasp the scope of the quarterback's off-field problems when they made him a first-round pick. 

"You see the reputation, what was out there," Pettine said, per McManamon. "I don't think we anticipated that his problems, his issues, how deep-rooted they were, the extent of it."

Entering Cleveland's Week 14 tilt with the San Francisco 49ers, Manziel has completed 59.4 percent of his passes for 933 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions. He's also rushed 17 times for 90 yards. 

The Browns are 1-2 in Manziel's starts this season, with the lone win coming in Week 2 against the Tennessee Titans. However, he impressed by completing 33 of 45 passes for 372 yards and a touchdown in Week 10 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

If Manziel can replicate even some of that production over the Browns' final four games, he could feasibly offer them some stability under center. That said, Cleveland is currently in the driver's seat for the NFL draft's No. 1 overall pick, thanks to a seven-game losing streak.

And if the Browns wind up in that spot on draft day, it would be hard to envision them passing on a potential franchise quarterback—no matter how impressive Manziel is over the next month.