Late last week, the Brownsdecided to bench Johnny Manziel in favor of Josh McCown even though Manziel led the team to a victory over the Titans in Week 2. A lot of Browns fans responded by saying, "Heeeeeeere we go again." It served as yet another reminder of just how inept the Cleveland franchise can be. And now, a bunch of Browns players are speaking up on behalf of Manziel and saying that they want him to be the team's starter, too.
TMZ Sportsspoke with three different players about the Browns' quarterback situation and all three said that they want Manziel, not McCown, under center.
- Anonymous Player 1: "I love both Johnny and Josh, but it's fucked up when you have Johnny come in and play well and has proven to the team that he is the right person for the job. It's frustrating to him and us when you sit a player down when he is playing well. Coach has got to understand you are messing up the chemistry and timing with players, and it's fucked up."
- Anonymous Player 2: "The team plays better when [Manziel] is in the game. I play better when he plays. You can't get better unless you play. We won when he played, and Coach has got to trust him like he trusts Josh."
- Anonymous Player 3: "When Johnny is in the game, it puts the defense on edge. He doesn't just sit in the pocket, he makes plays. Coach has got to make the change now."
Will any of this have any impact on Browns head coach Mike Pettine? Doubtful. But expect the backlash against his decision to play McCown to get worse if the Browns lose to the Chargers on Sunday.
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[via TMZ Sports]
