If you thought benching Johnny Manziel for two games was punishment, then starting under center for a 2-10 team is downright torture.
Johnny Football will return as the starting quarterback when the Browns take on the 49ers at home Sunday in Week 13 action. Manziel was benched for two games after video leaked of him partying during the team's bye week in Week 11.
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While the two-game punishment may have been harsh, having the embattled quarterback take the reins to a 2-10 club looking to avoid its eighth straight loss might be even worse, regardless of what he did.
NFL players partying is no surprise, but Manziel realized he had an alcohol problem and checked himself into a rehabilitation center to deal with it earlier this year. The former Heisman Trophy winner then came out of the experience and claimed to be a changed man, saying he learned a lot from the ordeal.
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That's what disappointed team brass so much, seeing Manziel fall back to his wayward ways. He then insulted the team's intelligence by trying to cover it up by saying the video of him was old.
Once the truth came out, Manziel was then forced to ride the pine and watch as the Browns fell to the Ravens, 33-27, in excruciating fashion thanks to a Kick-Six on national television against the Ravens in Week 12. Things didn't get better on Sunday, as the quarterback looked on as his team was handed a 37-3 drubbing by the Bengals.
Now, Manziel is once again thrust into the spotlight on a team that is going nowhere fast and will miss the playoffs for the 13th straight season. With Austin Davis being ineffective and in his own words not "good enough" against Cincinnati and Josh McCown (collarbone) being placed on injured reserve, Manziel will be back in action on Sunday.
Johnny Football has completed 59.4 percent of his passes through seven games (three starts) this season for 933 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions. After watching the team implode for two weeks, he'll be back in the thick of things trying to halt a horrid losing streak, which is a worse punishment than being benched.
It's much easier to watch the chaos than be a part of it.
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