Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is demanding rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel “tone it down” amid an ongoing period where the former Heisman Trophy winner is taking a beating in the media over his high-profile and party-filled lifestyle.
Days after screenshots of Manziel and hip hop star pal Drake were posted on social media, including one where the one-time Texas A&M star used a stack of cash as a phone and shouts “I can’t hear you. There’s too much money in my f—cking hand,” Cleveland.com reports Haslam is ordering coaches to have a talk with the 21-year-old Manziel about being “more savvy” in dealing with social media.
“We know you’re young,” the website reports ESPN’s Chris Mortensen recently said of Manziel. “We know you’re single. Joe Montana himself said that Bill Walsh pulled him aside, and that was before the age of social media. Johnny Manziel has been told to tone it down, and to watch what goes up on social media.”
Over the last several weeks, such Hall of Fame legends as Montana, Emmitt Smith and Warren Moon have all implored Manziel to slow down a bit and concentrate more on football instead of his “Johnny Football” alter ego.
Up until now, the Browns appeared to be trying to keep Manziel focused and humble by publicly branding him a backup and stressing that he would have to earn any playing time he receives during his rookie season.
Yet on Friday, Manziel remained as feisty as ever, even as some teammates are now openly admitting his antics are starting to cause a distraction in the locker room.
“I’m not going to change who I am for anybody,” Manziel told reporters. “I’m growing up and continuing to learn from mistakes and over again, but am I going to live in a shell or am I just going to hide from everybody and not do anything? I don’t think that’s the way I should live my life and I’m not going to do it.”
