Johnny Manziel will return as the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns after a two-game benching for his off-the-field behavior, according to reports Monday.
ESPN’s Chris Mortensen and NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported that Manziel is back as the Browns’ starter beginning with this Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers.
Manziel was the backup to Austin Davis during Sunday’s 37-3 blowout loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. The Browns have lost seven straight to drop to 2-10.
Browns coach Mike Pettine said after Sunday’s game that he would make a decision about the quarterback position on Monday.
“We’ll make that decision (Monday),” Pettine said Sunday. “Get a chance to watch the tape and we’ll all circle back, circle up on it and see where we are with it.”
Davis was 25-of-38 passing for 230 yards with no touchdowns and an interception against the Bengals in his first since he joined the Browns in September. He was sacked three times.
The Browns want further evaluation of Manziel’s ability on the field and how he handles any success and failure off it, a source told ESPN. The Browns are uncertain whether Manziel can re-establish the hope the franchise had when it made him a first-round pick in 2014, according to ESPN sources.
Pettine said last week that Manziel, who turned 23 on Sunday, could again play at some point before the season ends.
Quarterback Josh McCown started last Monday night’s game because Manziel, who had been named the team’s starter for the rest of the season, was sent back to the bench and relegated to No. 3 quarterback against the Baltimore Ravens. McCown suffered a season-ending broken collarbone in the game.
Manziel had been named the Browns’ starter after he threw for 372 yards in a 30-9 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Nov. 15.
Manziel was punished for reportedly lying to the team about when a video of him partying at a nightclub in Austin, Texas, took place. Manziel claimed the video was old, but the team learned it had been shot during the Browns’ bye week.
Manziel, who spent three months in a rehab facility he entered voluntarily in January, can be seen drinking champagne and in a general party atmosphere in photos and video published online.
Pettine, who has lost 15 of his last 17 games, acknowledged after Sunday’s loss that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam hasn’t given him any assurances that he will make it through the season.
“We haven’t had those discussions,” Pettine said. “Jimmy and I had good conversations. We talk every week. Frankly, there’s a lot of football left to be played. We’re evaluated every day, whether we’re evaluating ourselves or whether it is coming from him.
“We’re just going to fall back on what we know how to do. We’re going to come in every day, prepare relentlessly like we do, we’re going to coach our players hard and we will see what happens.”