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Tag: Cleveland Browns

  • Johnny Manziel Spotted Incognito At Miami Strip Club Amid Domestic Violence Case Against him

    Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel was recently spotted at a strip club while facing legal troubles.

    Manziel, who is currently embroiled in a domestic violence case, was reportedly seen at King of Diamonds in Miami on Monday night. A video recording of his recent outing, obtained by Barstool Sports, showed the NFL star enjoying the night with some friends, flashing his chains, and singing for the camera before throwing away dollar bills at the nude female dancers.

    The circulating footage containing his recent late night misadventure does not seem to bother the football player. On Sunday, he was also seen drinking at Story nightclub in Miami.

    Johnny Manziel Parties in Miami Nightclub

    TMZ Sports obtained a video of Manziel drinking straight from what looks like a champagne bottle. The embattled athlete tried to conceal his identity with a black hat and shades.

    Hours before he went to the club, authorities announced that his domestic violence case is now in the hands of the grand jury, which will rule if charges will be filed against him. His now ex-girlfriend, Colleen Crowley, accused him of beating her up after a night of drinking and partying on January 30. Crowley claimed in her affidavit that she almost lost her hearing when Johnny Manziel attacked her and said the athlete threatened to kill her and himself.

    It was not the first time that Manziel tried to disguise himself during his late-night outing. He reportedly sported a blond wig and fake mustache and went under the alias Billy Manziel when he and some of his friends went to Las Vegas in January.

    With the ongoing investigation on his case, Cleveland is reportedly letting go of Johnny Manziel. He may no longer play for the team when the new NFL year starts on March 9.

    “That behavior will not be tolerated as we move forward,” head coach Hue Jackson recently said. “Our organization is going to take a stand.”

  • Johnny Manziel Addresses Last Weekend’s Fight

    Johnny Manziel finally addressed last Saturday’s incident, which involved a Browns fan getting into an altercation with the quarterback and members of his crew in the lobby of Manziel’s condo building.

    Maziel told reporters today from the Browns’ locker room that the man, Chris Gonos from Ohio, was “very intoxicated” and “very aggressive.” The former Heisman Trophy winner also contended that Gonos, “came at me, put his hands on me, was extremely aggressive.”

    “It was a very unfortunate situation, a situation that was tried to be averted at all costs, and one that [I] was unfortunately not able to really get away from,” Manziel said. “I let [the Browns] know what really happened and wanted them to be on top of it from the very get-go. I’m very thankful for the Browns having my back in all this and at the same time supporting me on a situation that seemed to be a little blown out of proportion.”

    According to the police report filed by Gonos, the incident in question occurred around 2:30 am last Saturday when Gonos realized that Manziel was at the apartment complex located in downtown Cleveland. Gonos approached Manziel and said, “I’m the biggest Browns fan ever, I love you, I want to give you a hug.” Gonos also claimed that he was then punched in the face by someone from Manziel’s entourage. The situation then turned into a fight. Gonos also reported that Manziel hit his brother, who subsequently tackled Manziel.

    According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Manziel did not say whether he took or threw a punch. Manziel’s face did not appear to show any signs that he was hit, which contradicts the report filed by Gonos. No arrests were made following the incident, and Manziel was never questioned by police.

    Manziel is currently the backup quarterback to Brian Hoyer. The Browns are a respectable 7 – 4, however, they are in fourth place in a very competitive AFC Northern Division. They will face the Buffalo Bills on Sunday in Buffalo.

    Cleveland’s head coach Mike Pettine stated that Manziel’s incident last weekend would not factor into his standing with the organization.

  • Jadeveon Clowney, Injured Houston Texans player, Returned to Action, Saying He ‘Felt Great’

    Jadeveon Clowney, the Houston Texans rookie who suffered a knee injury in a week one game against the Washington Redskins, returned to play Sunday for the team’s 23-7 win over the Cleveland Browns and said he “felt great” after the game.

    Seven weeks after incurring his injury, the outside linebacker’s return wasn’t earth-shattering, but he did have several key plays, including two tackles. His teammate, J.J. Watt, filled in the gaps as Clowney gingerly returned to play.

    Despite a less than stellar performance, Clowney said he was thrilled to suit up once again for his team.

    “I felt great. I moved around like I wanted to,” said Clowney following the game. “I could have been better but I felt better than I did against Tennessee. I had a lot more confidence in my knee.”

    Although Clowney may not have been 100 percent and had little impact during the game, the rest of the team’s defense held three Browns running backs to 58 yards on 24 carries. His tackle against former Texan Ben Tate resulted in a loss of nine yards for the Browns.

    Clowney did have one brief appearance in the week eight game against the Tennessee Titans, but sat out week nine’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles due to illness.

    I had a good time at media day

    A photo posted by Clowney_7 (@clowney_7) on

    Texans coach Bill O’Brien said that with Clowney‘s return, he is counting on the former South Carolina standout to demonstrate some consistency during the final six regular-season games.

    “Being able to do it week-to-week, day-to-day,” O’Brien said Monday at NRG Stadium. “He’s a disruptive player when he gets in there, and he’s got the ability to really disrupt plays. When he understands his role and what his job is in the different packages … and keeps getting a better understanding of those things, he’s going to be more and more disruptive as he goes.”

  • Leah Still, the 4-Year-Old Daughter of Cincinnati Bengals’ Devon Still, Brings Inspiration in Her Fight Against Cancer

    Leah Still, the four-year-old daughter of Cincinnati Bengals‘ Devon Still, who is battling cancer, brought a ray of hope to the Cincinnati-Cleveland game Thursday night, despite the defeat her daddy’s team suffered.

    Before the game, Devon shared about what it meant to have his daughter on hand for her first NFL game.

    “Having her finally have the chance to come out here and feeling good health-wise… is going to be a great feeling,” Still told Cincinnati’s 9 On Your Side Thursday afternoon before the game.

    “I’ve learned to keep my emotions intact as time has gone on — as everything has happened with my daughter. I know everything is going to be pretty emotional.”

    Fans on both sides of Ohio were united in cheering on the little girl with the big heart. As Devon warmed up, cameras caught the twosome exchanging sweet waves with each other.

    “It just brought a smile to my face,” Devon told the NFL Network following game.

    Little Leah has been undergoing treatment at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia since June, so her homecoming was extra sweet.

    “I always look forward to those feelings whether I’m traveling back to Philadelphia or she’s coming out here,” Still said Thursday. “Just to see her running to my arms is always a great feeling.”

    Leah wasn’t just there to watch her dad play football. The Bengals decided to sell Devon’s No. 75 jerseys for $100, with proceeds going to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital for pediatric cancer research. They ended up selling 14,945 jerseys for a total of $1.3 million. Leah was there to accept the check on behalf of other children like her who are afflicted with pediatric cancer.

    “Today is going to be a bunch of good emotions just knowing that my daughter is there and that the check presentation is because of her,” Still said.

    Dressed in the uniform of her beloved Ben-Gals cheerleaders, which they had specially made for her complete with her dad’s No. 75 in glitter on the front, Leah stood next to another hometown hero, Lauren Hill, who is dying of brain cancer and played her first and last college basketball game on Sunday.

    Devon said seeing his daughter standing alongside Hill was probably the highlight of the evening.

    “I can tell by the she was smiling on the jumbotron that she had a lot of fun up there. I’m pretty sure she’s going to tell me all about her day meeting the cheerleaders and getting to be in the press box,” Devon said.

    Devon said he’s proud of his girl. Surely Cleveland joins all of Cincinnati in being proud of her, as well.

    “These past couple days made her day. You have no idea. I haven’t seen my daughter smile this much in a long time. I do appreciate everyone chipping in to help put a smile on her face,” he said. “She loves the camera. She thinks she’s a movie star.”

  • Johnny Manziel: Hoyer Has Fans Asking #JohnnyWho

    Johnny Manziel is already among greats. Steve Young and Aaron Rodgers were two of the most dominant quarterbacks of the past thirty years and both had to wait in line to get their chance to start every Sunday in the NFL. That’s because they were both playing behind Hall of Fame talent in Joe Montana and Brett Favre.

    Brian Hoyer may not be Joe Montana, but he does have Cleveland fans asking #JohnnyWho on Twitter. Hoyer has been better than advertised for the Browns. He is on pace to toss 22 touchdowns and throw for 4,000 yards. The team is a respectable 3-2, and Hoyer’s jersey sales currently rank fifth in the NFL.

    There was a quarterback controversy in the offseason on whether Hoyer or Manziel would start for the Browns. When Hoyer won the job, most just figured that it would be a matter of time before Manziel eventually took over the gig. But Hoyer is proving to be a winner. Now with Hoyer’s contract up at the end of the season, many are left to wonder if the team plans to resign the man who has gone 6-2 as a starter for a team that hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2002.

    Meanwhile, Johnny Manziel is biding his time. If something should happen to Hoyer, Manziel says he is ready for action. “I feel a lot more confident and a lot more comfortable. The whole process of being under center a lot more, everything that’s involved in this offense, that just wasn’t anything that I was asked to do at (Texas) A&M. I knew it would take some time.”

    Manziel has to watch fellow rookies Blake Bortles (Jacksonville) and Derek Carr (Oakland) get to start every week. However, the former Heisman Trophy winner believes that his role as a backup will be advantageous in the long term. “For me to get to sit back and watch this for however long this may be, I think it’s beneficial,” Manziel said.

    How long Manziel remains a backup is more unknown than ever. And if the Browns do choose to resign Hoyer in the offseason, what will it mean for Manziel’s future?

    Of course, the offseason is a long way off, and a thousand things can happen in the NFL even on a week-to-week basis. For now we know that Hoyer will start on Sunday against a winless Jaguars team in Jacksonville. What happens after that is anyone’s guess.

  • Cleveland Browns Go Down: Late Winner For Pittsburgh Steelers

    What is the perfect start to an NFL season?

    Well let’s just say that if I wanted to know, I would probably not ask the Cleveland Browns.

    Not after today.

    When your punter gets his face kicked in by a guy with the last name “Brown”, you kind of have to wonder if the universe is trying to tell you something.

    Perhaps that’s too harsh on the Browns, but one can’t help but wonder.

    Speaking of kicks to the head, it’s amazing that Antonio Brown was not ejected for what almost appeared to be a blatant jump-kick to the face of punter Spencer Lanning. Some believe he was trying to jump over Lanning, but failed in spectacular fashion.

    He earned a penalty for unnecessary roughness (possibly the understatement of the entire season), but there will probably be a fine tacked onto the end of that “Karate Kid” kick.

    Here’s hoping Lanning suffered no brain damage after that. Good Lord.

    This much talked about play was the only exciting thing to emerge from the first half. The Steelers completely dominated the Browns, leading 27 to 3 as the half ended.

    Someone must have given an epic halftime speech because the Browns emerged a more determined team, earning 24 points and bringing the game level.

    With two other games headed to extra time, it looked like the Browns were on the verge of one Hell of a comeback.

    But the Steelers were not having it.

    A late field goal attempt by Shaun Suisham (41 yards) would prove successful, resulting in a 30 to 27 victory for the home team.

    It’s hard to tell what’s worse for Browns fans: Suffering through the embarrassment that was the first half or swallowing bitter disappointment after a brilliant display of football in the second half.

    If the Browns can dig deeper in future games, they may have it in them to win ugly. There are glimpses of promise, but glimpses don’t win games!

    The Browns must put this game behind them and move forward.

  • Johnny Manziel: Is The Backlash Fair?

    Johnny Manziel: Is The Backlash Fair?

    Johnny “Football” Manziel’s recent behavior has been a gift to every football fan who simply can’t stand the Cleveland Browns quarterback.

    His decision to party in Las Vegas was a point of major contention over the summer.

    Despite his age and the fact that it the NFL offseason was in full swing, certain observers held an indignant stance regarding Manziel’s trip to Sin City.

    The criticism was such that Manziel felt the need to share his playbook on social media in an effort to demonstrate his ability to multitask.

    Unfortunately for Johnny Football, the flames were fanned yet again on Monday.

    The truth of the matter is that he really has no one else to blame for the new round of haterade but himself.

    Late in the third quarter of Monday night’s game versus the Washington Redskins, Manziel raised his middle finger in the direction of his opponents.

    The tense match would end with the Browns falling short in a 24-23 loss.

    Here’s the thing: The quarterback is supposed to be the leader on the field.

    The quarterback sets the tone for the game and the other players often follow. A rookie quarterback is rarely a natural leader. However with the entire NFL and its fans breathing down his neck, a new and highly scrutinized quarterback cannot afford such a “lapse in judgement”.

    That was the description used by Manziel to describe his behavior.

    It’s a hard lesson to learn, but Manziel must realize that this is a professional league that is watched around the world.

    Even though the words exchanged are often of the R-rated variety, the audience rarely ever hears what is said.

    A hand gesture? Yeah, that has staying power.

    It is something that is broadcast on television, will hit the front pages of newspapers, and will circulate throughout social media.

    A moment like that, if Manziel does not step up his game on the field, could end up as the ONLY proof of his presence in the National Football League.

    As such, Manziel must put the criticism of his behavior on the back burner. It’s a fair enough assessment that he behaved poorly.

    With the regular season quickly approaching, Manziel is going to have to roll with the punches (and sacks).

    He’s going to have to get up, dust himself off, and accept that scrutiny is inevitable. He is not expected to be perfect, but he is expected to be a better man that he showed himself to be on Monday.

    If Johnny Football begins to play as well as his supporters believe he is capable of, his “lapse” will be forgiven and forgotten.

  • Colt McCoy to Face Former Team Monday Night

    ESPN’s Monday Night Preseason Football game tonight will feature two teams historically not in the national limelight (at least not for the right reasons) – the Washington Redskins and the Cleveland Browns. However, recent acquisitions made by both teams have brought much needed intrigue to both squads. The Browns have found a renewed vigor through their drafting of Johnny Manziel, former Heisman Trophy winning quarterback from Texas A&M. On the other-hand, the Redskins find themselves hoping to recapture the spirit that led them to the playoffs in 2012 while being led by rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III. RG3 set rookie records during his first year in the NFL, but an injury late in his first season negatively impacted his performance in his sophomore stint, leading many to question his abilities. With the Redskins hiring offensive guru Jay Gruden from the Cincinnati Bengals, however, things may be on their way up for the Redskins.

    With Monday still being preseason football, however, it will be a story of back-up quarterbacks and second and third string players fighting to preserve a spot on the 53 man roster. Perhaps no one will be more excited to write that story than former Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy.

    McCoy was drafted by the Cleveland Browns with the 85th pick in the 2010 NFL draft. During his college days at the University of Texas, McCoy earned quite a reputation for himself by essentially breaking all of the university’s quarterback and offensive player records while also amassing the second-highest winning total for any quarterback in NCAA Division 1 history. McCoy’s collegiate success would not translate into NFL success, however, as McCoy would lead Cleveland to a 6-15 record in his 21 starts and would soon find himself without a starting position.

    Now, McCoy finds himself as a back-up to RG3, one of the most hyped quarterbacks of all time. His current position, along with his weak past history as an NFL quarterback, led Chris Cooley, ESPN 980 host and Washington radio analyst, to state, “We signed Colt McCoy for one reason: To be the backup quarterback for the Washington Redskins for an extended period of time behind Robert Griffin III.”

    McCoy most likely knows that a majority of people share the same sentiment as Cooley. After all, McCoy had his chance and washed-up. Despite that realization, however, McCoy continues to chug along, indifferent to others’ opinions of his NFL fate: “I’m playing well and just want to go out there and compete, do my best with the reps that I get and help the guys around me play their best. You never know what will happen.”

    McCoy’s “you never know what will happen” resulted in him leading Washington to a victory in its first preseason game against the New England Patriots, with McCoy completing eight of nine passes for 102 yards, a touchdown, and a quarterback rating of 150.9.

    With Robert Griffin III proving to be injury-prone, and with the second-string quarterback being none-other than Kirk Cousins, McCoy could find himself in the starting quarterback position, and redemption-land, sooner than later.

    Image via Facebook

  • Michael Irvin’s Wife Becomes Center of Feud

    On Saturday, life couldn’t have gotten much worse for Cleveland Browns wide receive Josh Gordon. The 2014 NFL-leading receiver was arrested for a DWI in Raleigh, North Carolina after initially being pulled over for speeding. Normally, a DWI wouldn’t be a huge offense for an NFL star. However, this is not Gordon’s first run-in with the police. Gordon has suffered from substance abuse addictions for some time now, failing multiple drug tests while in college at Baylor and during his short stint in the NFL.

    In response to Gordon’s recent struggles, former NFL wide receiver and current analyst Chris Carter had some advice as to what the Cleveland Browns should do in order to combat Gordon’s struggles with drugs: “He loves football more than anything, so I would take that away. When I say they should cut him, I say that because I believe that will be the catalyst to help. When you’re falling in life, at some point you have to make a bottom floor and say ‘this is it for me. I’m going to establish my house on this right here. And I’m going to build up.”

    Carter’s advice stems from his personal experiences with substance abuse. In 1990, Carter was cut from the Philadelphia Eagles due to his inability to stop using drugs. Carter believes that being cut was the sole reason he was able to kick his addiction and become a Hall of Fame receiver.

    While many people would agree with Carter’s analysis, another Hall of Famer took exception to Carter’s words of wisdom.

    In speaking on the “Dan Le Batard Show” on ESPN Radio Tuesday, former Dallas Cowboy’s wide receiver Michael Irvin had a few, choice words for Chris Carter and his advice:

    You know, I love Cris Carter and he’s a good dude and I know what he’s trying to do and he’s doing his job because his job is to bring his experience to the desk, to a microphone, and share his experiences. But he’s touching these lines, just like I’m touching when I’m trying to help guys, and you’re on TV. You have to toe a thin line here, you have to toe a very thin line. People consider you, like, you talked to Josh so you must know more. If you said they need to cut him, then my god, maybe they should cut him. Now, isolation for Cris may have been the best thing. Separation, for Cris, may have been the best thing. For Josh, maybe it’s the worst thing and I’m going to put a little personal on this even though I love Cris to death. I don’t know what year it was we were in the Pro Bowl. And all Cris is trying to do, he’s just trying to share his experiences. He said to my wife — he said to my wife –you know, Michael would never come out of this problem until you leave him. Till you leave him. For years, I’ve held it. I’ve never shared that with anybody. I’ve never in my life shared that with anybody. I was so irked with Cris because he was out of line then. His ass is out of line now. He is out. of. line.

    To add more insult to injury for Carter, Irvin and his wife, Sandy Harrell, have been married now for 24 consecutive years, even though Irvin was suspended from his ESPN analyst job in 2005 for minor drug possession charges.

    At the end of the day, the only person to judge what is right for Josh Gordon is Josh Gordon. However, one thing is for certain – Chris Carter should check himself before he wrecks himself.

    Image via YouTube

  • Johnny Manziel Visits Youngsters; Struggles in OTAs

    On Wednesday, Cleveland Browns backup quarterback, former Heisman Trophy winner, and media juggernaut Johnny Manziel ventured into a different arena – an elementary school.

    Manziel and other first-year Browns players kicked-off the team’s new charity program, First and Ten, at Grindstone Elementary in Berea, Ohio yesterday. The aim of the program is to get every Browns employee, player, and fan to volunteer their services at an organization for at least 10 hours per year. By making such a small contribution on a wide-scale, the Browns are hoping to drastically impact the Cleveland community.

    “First and Ten will strengthen our community involvement in Northeast Ohio and around the country, uniting our team and tremendous fans through volunteerism. Browns fans are passionate, loyal and supportive, and those traits will further allow us to positively influence our respective communities with this unique initiative,”stated Browns owner Dee Haslam.

    While the aim of the First and Ten program visiting Grindstone Elementary was most likely to recruit volunteers to their mission, all of the attention was on Johnny Football.

    As Manziel walked into the school’s gymnasium, the students burst into a raucous frenzy, screaming out for Manziel and rubbing their fingers together in Manziel’s famous money gesture. While one may have expected Manziel to be put-off by the outpour of attention from so many people at once, he has gotten used to the attention: “I don’t think much catches me off guard anymore. It was warm and very welcome and I’m very grateful they gave me an ovation.”

    Unfortunately for Manziel, he received anything but an ovation following the Browns third series of Organized Team Activities (OTAs) on Tuesday.

    Running the first-team offense, Manziel managed to commit three turnovers – all by interception – during skill drills and full-squad scrimmage. While many may be disparaged concerning Manziel’s lack of improvement thus far, Browns coach Mike Pettine has yet to come to any conclusion.

    “It’s difficult when he’s got the red (non-contact jersey) on and the defensive guys know they can’t tackle him. It’s hard to get glimpses of that, but we did some designed rollouts with him, and he’s shown when he can get in the open field he can run through an angle and he can eat up some ground pretty quickly.”

    Manziel’s best play of the OTAs came on a roll-out to the right, with Manziel firing back across the field to hit tight-end Jordan Cameron who was covered by two defenders – one of which was the nose tackle.

    “The first thing I wondered was what the hell coverage we were we in. I think he just sensed the play coming because we’ve been burned on it a couple times in practice, so he just latched on to him and started running. It was actually pretty funny,” recalled Pettine.

    For some Browns fans, however, it doesn’t matter how well Manziel does in pre-season scrimmages as they have already cast their ballot for quarterback.

    Manziel has a little over three months to change such sentiments before the 2014-15 NFL season begins.

    Image via Twitter

  • Johnny Manziel Enjoyed Vegas, But Not Criticism

    Johnny Manziel is a divisive topic for many, even though the NFL rookie has yet to throw the ball once in his first game.

    It seems that he’s behaving like a football star even though he hasn’t earned the right yet.

    This is a large part of the reason Johnny Football found himself under a great deal of scrutiny over a recent trip to Sin City.

    Manziel and some close friends partied it up in Las Vegas over Memorial Day weekend. Though the former Texas A&M quarterback didn’t see anything wrong with the trip, others took it as a sign he didn’t take the sport seriously.

    The indignant 21-year-old fired back with an Instagram photo of his Cleveland Browns playbook.

    Manziel insisted it was possible to both be a responsible football player and to enjoy himself at the same time.

    Hooray for multitasking!

    While some might not have been happy with Johnny Football’s Vegas vacation, there are others that were more than thrilled by his trip.

    One Las Vegas executive, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that Manziel’s appearances around town were worth millions of dollars in publicity.

    “It was great for Vegas,” said the anonymous executive, “Look at how much media surrounded him since he came to town. He’s been all over ESPN and social media for three days.”

    The source gushed to the Review-Journal that Manziel was “definitely..more famous” than he initially thought and described the young quarterback as a “showman”. The exec added, “People love to follow that kind of guy. He’s Johnny Football…and he’s a nice guy.”

    Manziel introduced himself to the exec and even added his phone number to the thrilled individual’s list of contacts.

    The action suggest that despite what any negative things anyone had to say about his trip, Johnny Manziel will be returning to Las Vegas at some point.

    Image via YouTube

  • Vince Young To Try Out For Cleveland Browns Team At Pre-Draft Camp

    In a recent interview, Vince Young mentioned that he must do his part and stay ready, since “you never know when you are going to get a call.” The call has arrived for the football player, and it came from the Cleveland Browns.

    Young, who is a free agent quarterback, has been brought in by the Cleveland Browns for a tryout, Ray Farmer, the general manager of the team said. Tyler Thigpen was brought in as well. The two quarterbacks will be participating in a pre-draft camp that will start on Tuesday and will last for three days.

    Farmer said that the mini camp is the best way for their team to see what Young is capable of. He also said that they have been following him through offseason. “He’d been doing some things that kind of caught our eye and made us kind of take note,” he said.

    Young, 30, was with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2011, Buffalo Bills in 2012, and the Green Bay Packers in 2013. Throughout his football career, his record indicates that he has had 51 interceptions and 46 touchdowns. Thigpen, on the other hand, has played for teams, such as the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, and the Kansas City Chiefs.

    According to Farmer, the two candidates they brought in share the same quality that they are seeking for the quarterback position, and that is mobility. However, he also said that mobility is just a “piece of the puzzle” and that a quarterback should be able to do a lot of things.

    In a report from The Houston Chronicle, Young said that he has a job available for him to grab if his pro football career is over. The work? An ambassador for the University of Texas. Young said that he wants to support the university and help kids get scholarships.

    Image via YouTube

  • Cleveland Browns Bringing In Vince Young To Tryout

    As the National Football League draft of 2014 rapidly approaches, the Cleveland Browns are scouring the league for possible quarterbacks, even as Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel remains a possibility for the holder of the fourth pick in the draft.

    Among the players the Browns are bringing in for upcoming minicamps are former top-three draft pick Vince Young and NFL journeyman Tyler Thigpen, Yahoo! Sports Shutdown Corner is reporting.

    Young, drafted in 2006 by the Tennessee Titans, has a 31-19 win-loss record as an NFL starter, though the last game he threw a pass in was Week 13 of the 2011 season, when he was quarterback with the Philadelphia Eagles. He threw four interceptions that day in a 31-14 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

    “Our interest in Vince is that he’s been productive and he’s had success in the National Football League,” Cleveland Browns General Manager Ray Farmer said at a pre-draft news conference, reported by the Christian Science Monitor. “We wanted to take the opportunity to get a chance to see where he was. We’ve been kind of following him through the offseason and he had been doing some things that kind of caught our eye and made us kind of take note and we wanted to see what that looked like in his own time frame.”

    The current quarterback slated as the starter for the Browns this upcoming season is Brian Hoyer, who is coming off knee surgery. A significant appeal to both Young and Thigpen is that they are both mobile quarterbacks, a key quality in new coordinator Kyle Shanahan’s offense.

    “They both are very good athletes,” Farmer said. “They both have had relative success — I know Vince you would easily say probably more than Tyler. That’s a good piece. I think Kyle would tell you that he likes a quarterback that is mobile. The offense definitely is going to require the quarterback to do different things, play outside the pocket to some degree.”

    But everything might change on draft day if the Browns have the opportunity to draft Johnny Manziel, who, as the USA Today puts it, is the “enigma of NFL draft quarterbacks.”

    If there are reservations, Farmer isn’t revealing any. When asked about the possibility of drafting Manziel, Farmer said, “The question is, do I get a chance to take him?

    “I don’t think I have any reservations with who Johnny is. We had a lot of conversations, spent a lot of time with him. He’s a good young man.”

    Image via Facebook

  • Kosar Says He’s Off TV Because Of Slurred Speech

    Former Cleveland Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar believes that he is being treated unfairly after being pulled as a television broadcaster because of his slurred speech.

    Kosar explained that he has had over a dozen concussions over the years he played in the NFL, and his speech problem is a direct relation to the concussions. The team made the decision to remove Kosar as a color commentator for Cleveland’s preseason games.

    “This is very unfortunate as I believe my football acumen and ability to describe what is happening on the field, has been well received by Cleveland Browns fans,” Kosar said in a statement.

    When the Browns announced their decision, they said that they wanted to discuss “potential new roles” for Kosar, possibly on the pregame telecasts and team website. “We want Browns fans to look forward to seeing and hearing his continued contributions and analysis,” the team president Alec Scheiner explained.

    Kosar retired from the Browns in 1996, and remains one of their most loved players. He hopes that the team will reconsider their decision.

    “I love to put the personal touch, pride in the Browns, and pride in our Cleveland community into the broadcast,” he said. “Being able to share these preseason games with my fellow Cleveland Browns fans is truly one of the remaining joys in my life.

    “I would hope that WKYC would reconsider utilizing my in-game talents and overlook my concussion-induced impairment. I want everyone to know that I still bleed Brown and Orange.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Josh Gordon Tattoo: Number 12 Shows Off Elaborate Ink Job On Instagram

    Josh Gordon is no stranger to tattoos, but the recent additions to his skin art tops everything he previously had. The Cleveland Browns’ wide receiver has been working on back tattoo design for quite some time, and on Monday he visited his artist for another session to add more detail to the piece.

    Gordon, Number 12 for the Browns, first posted a photo of himself being inked on February 9 on Instagram. It showed him sitting in the bathroom with headphones on while a tattoo artist worked on his left side. The following day, followers got their first glimpse of his back tattoo. The Instagram photo showed him with his back turned toward the camera, giving viewers a good look at the tattoo in progress.

    The design showed Gordon’s jersey number, his last name, and a koi fish swimming upward by his left shoulder blade. Only the koi and the first three letters of his last name were done. If you take the koi out of the picture, it would look like Gordon’s ready to play wearing only his pants. He captioned the photo “A representation of yourself. It’s a lifestyle.”

    On February 13, Gordon updated his Instagram followers of the progress of the enormous tattoo on his back. The uploaded photo showed him seated and wearing a brown camouflage cap and red headphones as the gloved hands of the tattoo artist worked on the last three letters of his name. It also showed the outline of a geisha demurely hiding her face behind a fan.

    Gordon must have let his back heal for a while; the next update was posted on March 18, and showed the geisha’s fan getting details. In another photo posted later that day, he shows off the finished product. Aside from the koi and geisha, the other elements that can be seen are what seem to be marijuana leaves, and a Buddha head in quiet contemplation.

    Gordon captioned this last photo with “We just goin keep going til I run outta space..” True enough, for it shows his tattoo artist working on his right shoulder. His back piece is truly a work of art, but for the sake of his tattoo, here’s to hoping he gets to wear the same number if ever he makes the switch to another team.

    The Browns have a weapon

    Image via Josh Gordon, Instagram

  • Josh Gordon’s New Tattoo Has Gone Viral [PHOTO]

    These days, it seems that everybody has tattoos, which has definitely taken away some of the cool factor associated with them, because years ago, a tattoo or a whole tattoo sleeve symbolized toughness, or documented some sort of important life experience.

    But these days tattoos are nothing more than a fashion accessory, kind of like a hat or a bracelet, and because so many people have them, they represent the same amount of edge as these things.

    However, sometimes a person will get a tattoo that stands out, because it’s not the typical image or it’s so unique that it goes viral, and that’s exactly what’s happening with football player Josh Gordon’s tattoo, as it seems to be making the Internet rounds pretty quickly.

    The colossal sized image takes up Gordon’s entire back and is comprised of his team number, number 12, his last name in big prominent letters, and a pink colored fish surrounded by some sort of design. With everything together, the tattoo looks pretty intricate and gives the eye several things to look at, which is clearly why it’s gone viral over the past day or so.

    However, there have been numerous trade rumors surrounding Gordon, and if he gets sent to another team, he may have to change his number, so getting the number 12 tattooed on himself might have been a little premature.

    But according to Dino Barber, who coached Gordon in college, Cleveland would be foolish to let Gordon go, because Barber says he’s the absolute best player he’s ever been associated with. “Josh Gordon is the most talented guy I’ve ever coached,” he said in a past interview.

    “I can say that very easily. I’ve had over 30 wide receivers make the NFL, and not just get on the team, but actually get paid–30 millionaires and I could line up the other 29 guys and say that Josh Gordon is the most talented guy that I’ve ever coached.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Megan Pettine Tweet And Why People Need To Grow Up

    Within a household, it’s not all that unusual that a parent and child support different NFL football teams, and sometimes snarky things are said. That’s just within a household. On Twitter, it gets a bit more hilarious and yes, it’s fun to troll one’s parents.

    The case of Megan Pettine is nothing like that, which makes the overblown reaction to a simple tweet that much more embarrassing for all the adults involved.

    Pettine’s since deleted tweet to a friend said, “the interview went well and he’s going back for a second! It’s the browns.. but hey still pretty cool.”

    First and foremost, Megan Pettine was not interviewing for the Brown’s job. Her father was. It’s not a requirement for her to give a damn outside of the fact that her father has employment and that means food on the table. If he does a wonderful job and the Browns have a hype-worthy season, maybe it may inspire her (and millions of other NFL fans who think the Browns are crap) to see the team in a more pleasant light.

    Secondly: “She was mortified. [She] called me hysterically crying one day after it happened.”

    Why should she be mortified? If she was allegedly a fan of his former team, the Baltimore Ravens, the Cleveland Browns will seem like a logical step down. Both in terms of quality and color scheme.

    What’s even more mortifying? That a bunch of grown men would feel the need to shame a teenage girl to tears over an opinion that is none of their business and has no reflection on her father’s own opinion and the professionalism he’d bring to the job.

    And lastly…We’re talking about the Cleveland Browns. Pettine didn’t say that she hated the Browns. She didn’t say they were terrible and that they’d always be terrible. But plenty of people have inferred worse about Browns and thus far have been proven RIGHT. So then, are we really going to place the onus of optimism on Megan Pettine, and expect her to talk up a team that has not proven itself worthy of being talked up?

    So many people need to get over themselves. If Mike Pettine’s biggest challenge is getting Cleveland to accept him or the team to get behind him over a stupid tweet, it’s safe to say the Browns have bigger problems and will remain a laughing stock of a team.

    Image via snow angel Youtube Channel

  • Norv Turner to Interview with Minnesota Vikings

    After only one season with the Cleveland Browns, veteran NFL offensive guru Norv Turner may be off to Minnesota. According to a league source, the Minnesota Vikings, fresh from hiring Mike Zimmer as head coach on Wednesday, have obtained permission to interview Turner for their open offensive coordinator post.

    Turner is still under contract with the Browns, where he served as OC under Rob Chudzinski, who only lasted a year. The Browns posted a 4-12 record this season, dead last in the AFC North division, their offense ending the season ranked 18th in the league. Even so, few see the Browns’ struggles as a fault of Turner’s aggressive downfield passing scheme—the team finished 11th in the NFL in passing despite losing starter Brian Hoyer to a torn ACL and having to rely on backups Brandon Wheedon and Jason Campbell.

    If Turner were to land with the Vikings, he would inherit the league’s best back in Adrian Peterson, a potential powder keg given that Turner has been the coach of the NFL’s top rusher in five different seasons.

    Turner’s career has seen stints with eight different NFL teams. After early-career stops as an offensive coaching staff member at USC and the Los Angeles Rams, he came to prominence in the early ‘90s while serving as OC for the Dallas Cowboys. There he earned two Super Bowl rings (’92 and ’93) while helping to turn quarterback Troy Aikman into a Hall of Fame player. Following stops as head coach or offensive coordinator for the Redskins (HC), Chargers (OC), Dolphins (OC), Raiders (HC), and 49ers (OC), Turner spent a tumultuous six years at the helm of the San Diego Chargers.

    The Baltimore Ravens have also expressed an interest in interviewing Turner but have not yet requested permission to interview.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Jim Tressel Coaching For The Browns Isn’t True

    Just after a few hours of the public hearing about the Cleveland Browns being interested in Jim Tressel, ex-head coach for Ohio State, the story was quickly shot down by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The rumor first started to take flight once Mary Kay Cabot, a beat writer for the team, Tweeted the following:

    “Former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel will interview for Browns head coach job within next few days,” she wrote. Cabot was repeating what she heard from Fox Sports’ Joe Dunn.

    In and around Ohio, Tressel is a legend to many for his very successful run at Ohio State, leading the Buckeyes to two 19 game winning streaks in the 2002-2003 and 2005-2006 seasons. So it’s quite obvious a good number of Cleveland fans would have loved for Tressel to bring that type of success to the Browns’ organization.

    And this is in spite of the 61-year old being involved in a scandal back in 2010, when he was accused of hiding the fact that some of his players were giving away their jerseys and other memorabilia in exchange for free tattoos. In fact, ESPN aired an extremely interesting documentary on Tressel and his former running back Maurice Clarett that paints a vivid picture of what he really means to the state of Ohio. Tressel is a native of the state and was also the head football coach at Youngstown State University.

    But before Browns’ fans could even get excited about the coaching possibilities, word quickly got out that the story was false.

    “Browns official on team’s reported interview of former Ohio State HC Jim Tressel: Totally false. A lot of BS coming out about us.” Tweeted Schefter.

    It’s been a string of painful seasons for Cleveland fans, as the Browns haven’t made the playoffs in 11 years, and this season they had a dismal record of 4-12, losing their last seven games. After the team’s final loss head Coach Rob Chudzinski was fired shortly after, and reportedly the team will be interviewing New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Gus Malzahn Could Coach The Cleveland Browns

    After a spectacular season that included an Iron Bowl win against Alabama and could end with a possible BCS National Championship, Auburn has seen a lot of media attention.

    Now Auburn is receiving even more attention, this time in the form of a possible job change for head coach Gus Malzahn.

    Malzahn is one of the names being mentioned as a possible head coach for the Cleveland Browns. Some sources even claim Malzahn is at the top of the Browns’ list.

    Along with Malzahn, Vanderbilt’s James Franklin and New England Patriots Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels are also names being discussed as the replacement for Rob Chudzinski, who earlier in the week was fired after the Browns finished with a season record of 4-12.

    One sports radio host doesn’t believe Malzahn would even take the job if offered.

    It is also rumored that the Browns will make former Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz their defensive coordinator in 2014. Schwartz was fired this week after the Lions 7-9 record this season. Ray Horton, the Browns’ current defensive coordinator, has been given permission to explore other options by the team.

    While all this chatter of Malzahn being the possible next head coach of the Browns circulates, Malzahn himself is more concerned with the upcoming BCS game.

    On Tuesday Malzahn tweeted about the Auburn fans and the team’s trip to Pasadena.

    Malzahn discussed his “focused” team at Downtown Disney’s ESPN Zone. ‘‘This group has been extremely focused. They’ve worked hard. They’ve acted exactly the same way in practice. There’s no doubt in my mind that we’re not going to be distracted,’’ said Malzahn.

    This isn’t the first time Malzahn has been with Auburn during bowl season, in 2010 he was the team’s offensive coordinator. That experience has helped him plan for Monday night’s game. Malzahn said, ‘‘Any time you play in the national championship game, there’s a lot that goes with it. First of all, there’s a long layoff, so strategically you’ve got to plan your practices and everything that goes with that. Then once you get here, it’s not a normal bowl week. There’s a lot of extra stuff that goes with it. So that past experience has got to help us. ‘‘

    The Auburn Tigers will take on the Florida State Seminoles on January 6 at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN.

    Image via YouTube.

  • Josh McDaniels Set To Interview For Cleveland Browns Coaching Position

    After a series of coaches were fired yesterday, one team has already started the process of getting its replacement.

    Josh McDaniels did not have the success that a head coach would like the first time he was given the opportunity, but perhaps the second time around will give him the opportunity to succeed.

    Josh McDaniels previously served as the head coach of the Denver Broncos during the 2009 season, but was fired soon after in 2010.

    Josh McDaniels has been chosen as a candidate for the position of head coach of the Cleveland Browns, and is set to interview with the team in relation to their recent coaching vacancy.

    McDaniels is currently serving as the offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots, a position that is easy get success from while working with players like Tom Brady.

    Tom Brady has worked closely with him as a coach for the past few years, and as one of the top offenses in the NFL, they know how to work well with each other.

    Brady spoke highly of McDaniels when saying “He’s so prepared; he’s so confident in what he does. He figures out a way every week to get us in the best position as players to win. I have so much respect for him and what he does for me, what he does for our team. He’s just a great coach.”

    Yesterday, a handful of NFL coaches were fired from their positions in an event that has become known as the black Monday firings. The most notable coaches who were fired were Mike Shanahan, coach of the Washington Redskins, and Jim Schwartz, coach of the Detroit Lions.

    Both teams were in the playoffs last season, and after disappointing seasons for both teams, the coaches were forced out. In addition, the position was made available for Josh McDaniels when Rob Chudzinski was fired.

    The coaches of the Tampa Bay Bucanneers, Minnesota Vikings, and Houston Texans have all been fired in the past few weeks, while Gary Kubiak was the only one to lose his job before the end of the season, during a horrible season for the Texans, after they had high expectations coming into the season.

    Rob Chudzinski was fired as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns after only one season. Whether Josh McDaniels will accept the job if it is offered is unknown, and after forming a strong bond with the players in staff in New England, he may choose to stay put. Does he have what it takes to finally improve the Cleveland Browns?

    Image via Wikimedia Commons