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The Cleveland Browns can't even stay out of the headlines on Thanksgiving, but at least we have some more clarity as to why the team yanked QB Johnny Manziel from his starting role earlier this week. It wasn't just about the video that surfaced, but probably more so about the young quarterback trying to cover up the incident.
According to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports, Manziel told the team that the video was old, something he also tried to hint to the local media earlier this week when asked about it at a function at the Cleveland Food Bank.
Jay Glazer says on Fox that Manziel was demoted to No. 3 QB not just bc of that video but bc he lied to #Browns and said it was an old video
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) November 26, 2015
Even more damning is what Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk elaborated about Glazer's report, saying, "Manziel not only told the team that the photos weren’t taken over the weekend but also recruited others to vouch for the falsehood."
That last part if the ultimate insult, and I can't fathom another quarterback in the NFL attempting to cover up such an incident and actually believe he could get away with it. I was previously on the fence about head coach Mike Pettine making the change back to QB Josh McCown, but if I'm in that locker room, I would now undoubtedly support the change, regardless of me wanting to see what Manziel offers from a football perspective.
Issue for Johnny Manziel pre-bye: #Browns wanted him to stay around the facility & lay low. When he did the opposite, they felt betrayed
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 26, 2015
Try to enjoy the rest of your Thanksgiving.