Johnny Manziel watches NFL draft from a barstool before heading to Justin Bieber concert

It looks like Johnny Manziel has gone from being a draft pick to watching the draft flow after a photo of the out-of-work quarterback was posted on social media showing the former NFL quarterback watching the NFL draft proceedings from an Ohio bar Thursday night.

The Los Angeles Rams kicked off the 2016 NFL draft by selecting California's Jared Goff with the first overall pick. And while Goff became the first Cal quarterback to land in the first round since the Green Bay Packers took Aaron Rodgers at No. 24 in 2005, the troubled Manziel was seen watching the event from a bar in Columbus before the former #1 pick reportedly headed off to a Justin Bieber concert.

721 Days Apart: Johnny Manziel is a #1 draft pick, Johnny Manziel is out of work, watching draft at bar pic.twitter.com/zT67944DWu

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) April 29, 2016

What a difference a couple of years make.

Sheriff spotted wearing Manziel jersey on a sheriff motor scooter (PHOTO)

Here’s a guy riding a sheriff’s motor scooter while wearing a Johnny Manziel jersey. Don't know if he's undercover or not, but donning Johnny Football attire must be the worst way to go unnoticed in Oh-oh-oh-Ohio.

A sheriff. On a sheriff's motorcycle. Wearing a Manziel jersey. Ohio's the best. pic.twitter.com/s4p8hGx1v8

— Marc Sessler (@MarcSesslerNFL) August 8, 2015

Browns players get to wear digital camouflage jerseys for winning contest (VIDEO)

Earlier this year, the Cleveland Browns unveiled new uniforms to mostly mixed reviews, but that new/old look has nothing on the spiffy jerseys that some of the players get to wear in practice.

Orange & brown digital camo jerseys for the defense today - after they won yesterday's jersey battle. pic.twitter.com/aAGO0SHQTg

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) August 2, 2015

As a result of winning a daily competition at training camp, Browns defensive players were rewarded with special digital camouflage jerseys.

Sledding in the summertime 💪 https://t.co/9esUCcSmky

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) August 2, 2015

Good thing the receivers don't wear the camos during the regular season or Johnny Manziel might really have a hard time spotting them.

Johnny Manziel throws water bottle at heckling fan, misses target: Report

Johnny Manziel continued where he left off last season after he tossed a water bottle at a heckler during an incident at the AT&T Byron Nelson golf tournament this weekend — and missed. 

The troubled Cleveland Browns quarterback's throw sailed by its intended target but police were summoned to the scene anyway. No charges were filed, reported Cleveland.com.

Manziel reportedly had been turning away autograph requests from the fan for about two hours Saturday during the third round when an exchange escalated in the pool area of the Four Seasons Resort where the PGA Tour event is held, Irving police spokesman James McLellan said.

The water bottled missed the 18-year-old man, and someone who was with Manziel pushed the fan, leading officers to intervene, McLellan said. The fan declined to press charges, and McLellan said no police report was filed.

After the skirmish, Manziel was photographed by several bystanders talking to the police outside the Four Seasons hotel, where the incident took place — a bucket of beer sitting nearby.

Police did not detect that Manziel had been drinking at the time of the incident.

Manziel, the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner at Texas A&M, was recently released from a 10-week stay in rehab and is going through offseason workouts with the Browns. 

A stint with anger management could be next.

Johnny Manziel to continue treatment in rehab: Report

Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel remains in a rehab facility for an undisclosed condition.

On Feb. 3, family adviser Brad Beckworth announced Manziel had entered a Ohio facility on Jan. 28 to "improve in order to be a better family member, friend and teammate."

On Monday, Browns head coach Mike Pettine said the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner is still being treated. 

Pettine said there has been communication with Manziel, whose controversial rookie season was followed by his entering rehab.

The coach does not know when Manziel will be discharged but reiterated that the "football for us is an afterthought" to Manziel getting well.

In two days, Manziel is scheduled to hit the six-week mark.

Pettine said there was no set end date for Manziel's release, making his availability for offseason workouts uncertain, but is encouraged that Manziel has had a lengthy stay to receive help. He is also confident Manziel will be a better quarterback and will be helped by Cleveland's new coaching additions.

While the Browns wait for Manziel, Pettine said he would be comfortable with newly signed veteran quarterback Josh McCown as the starter next season. McCown went 1-10 as a starter in 2014 for Tampa Bay.

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis calls Johnny Manziel 'a midget' (AUDIO)

All of the uncertainty surrounding who will be the Browns quarterback when they play the Bengals Sunday has everyone wondering if Cincinnati's game plan will change if Johnny Manziel replaces Brian Hoyer.

Asked if that would be the case during an interview on 700 WLW, Marvin Lewis came back with a short response.

"No ... you've got to defend the offense, you don’t defend the player ... particularly a midget,” said the Bengals head coach.

Wow. We all know Johnny football is smaller than most NFL quarterbacks but come on.

Here's the audio track:

Soon after that interview, Lewis said he was sorry.

"I apologize to Johnny and the Browns and all the fans in Cleveland," Lewis said. "It was just a poor remark. I seriously did not imply anything by it."

It sounds like coach forgot one little segment of the population in his apology.

Johnny 'Football' Manziel stars as Johnny Bravo in cartoon spoof (VIDEO)

Johnny Manziel has always come off as some sort of Saturday cartoon character — whether it was Superman on the field or Jughead in the nightclubs. So it was only natural for Johnny Football to be immortalized in toon form as none other than self-absorbed lunkhead Johnny Bravo.

Manziel took over the quarterback job from Cleveland Browns starter Brian Hoyer on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills and scored his first career NFL touchdown before doing his self-promoting money celebration.

Now here's No. 2 is doing his Money Dance in glorious Cartoon Network colors.

Here's the original Johnny Bravo opening theme song:



[Bleacher Report]

Browns' Andrew Hawkins 'evicts' son for liking Bengals players (VIDEO)

Andrew Hawkins plays for Cleveland Browns, but before signing there last winter, he spent three years with the Cincinnati Bengals.

His son Austin, who is now two years old, really only knows his dad from his Bengals days. So when asked who his favorite player is, the little guy says A.J. Green and Mohamed Sanu. 

That answer gets him sent outside with his bags packed and a curt "good luck."

Only Hawkins fans allowed under my roof ✊. @ajgreen_18 @king_sanu_12 😂😭

A video posted by Andrew Hawkins (@youngbabyhawk) on Oct 10, 2014 at 7:51am PDT

It looks like the youngster just learned a hard lesson about life and — more importantly — division rivalries.

Madden '15 glitch renders Browns' Christian Kirksey as 14-inches tall (VIDEO)

A programming glitch in a popular football video game shrunk a 6-foot-2, 230-pound NFL linebacker to a less-then-intimidating 1 foot, 2 inches tall munchkin.

It's in the new Madden '15 in 'Solo Challenge' mode where a minuscule Cleveland Browns linebacker Christian Kirksey is dwarfed during game play by all other players and even the ball.

Gamemaker EA Sports also happened to have the digital Kirksey play for Tennessee instead of the team that actually drafted him in 2014, leading many to come up with the same nickname: the Tiny Titan.

But the football-sized Kirksey still goes about trying to make plays among the field of giant NFL players. And hilarious grabs from the game show the rookie being stepped over as he goes for a tackle or getting squashed like a bug by his normal-sized virtual opponents .

Fans of the popular game have had a ball posting grabs of the shrunken avatar as he makes tackles and celebrates.

Kirksey himself had fun with the glitch and even  tweeted some words of wisdom for the amused gamers:

"No matter how small you are, have big dreams, and live big! #1'2"

No matter how small you are, have big dreams, and live big! #madden #glitch #1'2 #reallyLOL #goodmessagetho
— Christian Kirksey (@chriskirksey20) September 2, 2014

Rams offer free tickets to high schools near Ferguson riots: Report

There doesn't seem to be anything that anyone can do to ease the tension in Ferguson, Mo. right now, but one NFL team has made a small attempt at bringing normalcy back for some school kids in the nearby area.

The St. Louis Rams organization is offering free tickets to Saturday’s preseason game to area schools overwhelmed by the riots which followed the police shooting of an unarmed man and set off days of protests and mayhem in the streets.

Whether or not you consider it a generous offer to help bring sanity back to kids confused by the current state of affairs or a blatant PR attempt conveniently combining national news with something far less important like sports, three local high schools will each receive 75 free tickets to see the home team play the Cleveland Browns, reported SI.com.

Rams manager of fan development and alumni relations Kyle Eversgerd contacted coaches at McCluer High, McCluer North and McCluer South; offering the free tickets to each team if they wanted them.

“In light of everything going on it just kind of hit me,” Eversgerd said. “I can’t imagine with all that stuff going on, how tough it must be to practice. We were able to get them away from it all.”

It’s a nice gesture for a suburban town gripped by uncertainty and, hopefully, the payoff will be peace of mind for a couple of hundred teenagers — and that they can pay it forward.

Former NFL star Jim Brown sues to stop sale of 'stolen' championship ring: Report

Former Cleveland Browns running back Jim Brown is suing a New York auction house to block the sale of his 1964 championship ring he won with the Cleveland Browns — one he claims was stolen from him decades ago.

The former Browns great filed the lawsuit in Manhattan federal court Wednesday seeking a court order for Lelands.com, of Bohemia, NY, and its chairman Josh Evans to return the ring to him, saying it’s “very important” because it’s the only championship he ever won in his Hall of Fame career.

“The 1964 NFL Championship ring is very important to Jim Brown, not for its monetary value, but because of what it stands for,” the suit says. “It is a symbol of Jim Brown’s accomplishments as a professional football player on the only professional football team on which he played.

“Winning the NFL Championship in 1964 was almost a culmination of his successes as a football player, and the 1964 Championship ring is a reminder of the great Browns’ team on which Jim Brown played, and of the camaraderie and friendships that he made on the Browns’ team.”

Brown's ring is up for bidding on the reputable auction house's website until Friday, and as of 11 am Wednesday the high bid was $58,948.

The bruising running back led the Browns to a 27-0 victory in the 1964 NFL Championship over the Baltimore Colts.

It is the Cleveland Browns’ last championship season.

He retired a year later at age 30 following the 1966 season and went on to an acting career that included roles in a number of Hollywood films.

Just wondering who had the guts to steal the formidable Brown's ring in the first place?

Giants co-owner says Johnny Manziel 'doesn't fit the profile' of a Giants player (VIDEO)

Although the New York Giants discussed the possibility of taking Johnny Manziel if he fell in the draft (and he did), the team had reservations about the hard partying quarterback and his rollicking ways.

Now that the highly visible Johnny Football is the property and concern of the Cleveland Browns, Giants co-owner Steve Tisch spoke out about the free-wheeling rookie.

Tisch told TMZ he'd be concerned too if Manziel was a draft pick of the Giants. But also noted that his team's history of picking certain types of players would have made Manziel a pick that "doesn't fit the profile" when it comes to the Giants' culture over the years. 

You hear that L.T.?

Tisch ultimately wished Manziel plenty of success but added that he wouldn't feel that way if Manziel were the quarterback for the Eagles, Cowboys or Redskins.

"We have a fantastic quarterback who I hope has another amazing season," Tisch explained. 

"If he's playing for anybody outside our division, I would hope he'd be good for them. I wouldn't want him to be good for the Eagles, Cowboys or Redskins, but I hope he's good for Cleveland, I hope he has a good year. I think he knows what he has to do to stay on the team, to work with his teammates, to be part of a productive, functional locker room. A lot's going to come out once training camp starts."

 

Braylon Edwards angrily flips photographer by ankles (VIDEO)

This weekend ex-NFL star Braylon Edwards denied reports he attacked a man outside a Detroit nightclub and, contrary to the oft-troubled Edwards' claims, TMZ has obtained video proving the out-of-work wide receiver didn't just attack a man — he delivered a cheap shot that would make a WWE wrestler wince.

The video begins with the 6'3", 218-pound Edwards in the face of a photographer who allegedly shot footage of Braylon pushing someone else around outside the nightclub. 

After Edwards screams at the guy, the photographer starts to walk away ... but Edwards chased after him, and while the unaware shutterbug had his back turned, Edwards reached down and ripped his ankles out from under him ... sending the poor guy flying face first into the pavement.

Pretty rough stuff.

The smaller photographer eventually got up and headed to a nearby police station, where he filed a battery report against the 30-year-old, reports TMZ.

As for the extent of his injuries, TMZ said the man denied medical attention, claiming he only suffered minor injuries. 

After the incident, Edwards adamantly denied any wrong doing ... tweeting, "The reports are blasphemy. Was joking with friends and a guy was filming us. I asked him to delete it, he said no. He wasn't harmed at all."

Edwards' representative initially told TMZ ... the photog concocted the story in a shameless attempt to "take Braylon's money." 

According to TMZ, the photographer is flippin' mad about the attack and plans to pursue his case all the way through.

Hey Braylon. The Giants are looking are looking for a few good linebackers. Just sayin'.

5 year-old cancer survivor scores touchdown with Browns on Family Night

The Cleveland Browns held their "Family Night" during practice at FirstEnergy Stadium Saturday and capped off the evening with Ryan Encinas, a 5-year-old cancer survivor, taking a hand-off from quarterback Brandon Weeden and running 50-yards for a touchdown with Trent Richardson leading the way.

With a few tons of blockers ahead and the weight of cancer treatment behind him, the tough five-year-old — wearing an over-sized Browns helmet and a No.1 with the name "Encinas" on the back of his jersey —clutched the football and ran for the goal line in front of a crowd of 24,134 fans cheering every emotional step.

From his parents view:

The youngster got caught up in the the excitement of the moment, and lost in the canyons of 300-pound linemen,  and prematurely spiked the ball around the 30-yard line before head coach Rob Chudzinski picked up the loose ball and handed it back to his little running back.

As Ryan crossed the goal line, he was lifted onto the shoulders of linebacker Craig Robertson and congratulated by the entire team in the end zone.

“That was cool,” Weeden said. “When Chud told us we were going to do that in team meetings, I was pumped about it. That was a cool deal. The kid is 5-years-old and he's been through a lot. I do a lot of stuff back home with Children's Hospital, so every time something like that happens, it brings a lump to your throat.”

Good play call, guys.

[Browns.com]

Former Browns player Ausar Walcott claims self-defense in attempted murder case

Former Cleveland Browns linebacker Ausar Walcott is arguing that he was acting in self-defense when he nearly killed a man during a fight last month, according to The Record.

A lawyer representing the 23-year-old Walcott said in court filings that the former Hackensack, N.J. football star and a group of friends were surrounded by 10 to 20 men outside the Palace Gentleman's Club in Passaic during the early morning hours of June 23. The men made various threats, and punched one of Walcott's friends "for no reason at all", the papers argue.

Walcott eventually punched Derrick Jones, injuring him so badly that he in critical condition in a New York City hospital for two weeks, according to police.

The Browns, with whom Walcott had recently signed as a free agent linebacker, released him shortly after he turned himself in on an attempted murder charge days after the incident.

State Superior Court Judge Raymond A. Reddin in Paterson reduced the cash-only bail to $85,000 from $500,000.

"I know that the Browns have cut him," Reddin said, adding if the team reconsiders, he wanted Walcott to have the chance to attend training camp.

"I don’t know if they will allow him that opportunity," Reddin said. "But if he had a chance to play in the NFL, I would hate to see him lose that chance if acquitted."

Reddin ordered Walcott not to have contact with the victim or his family. Defense attorney Miles Feinstein must also inform the court if Walcott leaves the state.

Among those who wrote letters of support for Walcott were former coaches, classmates, his agent, the Hackensack Police commissioner and a Hackensack Police detective.

Cleveland Browns rookie charged with attempted murder

Ausar Walcott, a former New Jersey high school football star and recent Cleveland Browns signee, was charged Tuesday with attempted murder for allegedly punching a man outside a bar in Passaic, N.J.,  reported North Jersey.com.

The victim, Derrick Jones, 24, of New York City, remained hospitalized Tuesday in critical condition at Harlem Hospital Center in Manhattan, Passaic Police Detective Andrew White said.

The Browns issued a brief statement Tuesday saying the team was "aware of the situation."

While at the University of Virginia, Walcott was briefly suspended from the football team after he was arrested and charged with assault after a fight near James Madison University,the Washington Post reported. The charges were dropped.

The 23-year-old Walcott was a standout player at Hackensack High School.

Paternity test proves ex-NFLer Jamal Lewis is father of 7-year-old

Former NFL star Jamal Lewis has taken a paternity test and learned he is indeed the father of a 7-year-old child after a lengthy back-and-forth to prove he was the dad, reports TMZ.

Lewis — a bruising running back who was inducted into the Baltimore Ravens "Ring of Honor" in 2012 — was hit with a paternity suit last year by a woman in Georgia who claimed Lewis was the father of her boy. 

Lewis was arrested over non-payment of support and charged with child abandonment even before any paternity had been established, but the charges were eventually dropped.

TMZ is reporting that the paternity test results show Lewis is indeed the father and was ordered to pay $663/month in child support. The amount is considerably less than the $5,236/month his baby mama had asked for, but filing for bankruptcy will do that.

The child's mother was granted sole legal and physical custody, with Lewis getting visitation every other weekend and various holidays (plus a two-week block in the summer).

Lewis retired after the 2009 season after finishing his career with the Cleveland Browns.

Desmond Bryant hit with lawsuit for drunken break-in

Desmond Bryant just signed a lucrative $34 million dollar deal with the Cleveland Browns last week and now it appears that the family whose home he "drunkenly broke into" on Feb. 24 wants a piece of it. Bryant's bizarre mugshot of the NFL star after his arrest launched a million cringes on the Internet.

A lawsuit seeking unspecified damages was filed yesterday in Miami-Dade circuit court against Bryant, 27, who just signed a five-year contract with the Browns.

Bryant told police that he thought he was at his home when a taxi dropped him off after a night of drinking in Miami in the early morning hours the night of the incident.

But it wasn't his house. It was the home of Isaac Bakar, a 43-year-old contractor who thought the massive athlete was there to rob the place.  Bakar lives there with his wife, Iris, and their three kids.

At 5'11" and 173 pounds, Mr Bakar struggled to hold the door to keep the 6'6" and 311-pound defensive lineman from entering while his wife called 911. The Bakars charge that Bryant tried to break down the door, and even ripped off a door handle.

"They were scared," said the family attorney, Robert Fiore. "My client was holding on for dear life."

It was reported that Bryant was still furiously punching at the door when cops arrived. He was arrested and charged with misdemeanor criminal mischief, and later released after posting $1,000 bail.

The lineman's mugshot from the police booking shows Bryant shirtless with his mouth gaping open and has become an Internet phenomenon.

Bryant apologized for his arrest, saying the incident was a "mistake" and that "it's not really the kind of person I am."

Still, it's funny to see that photo again.

Coughlin won't discuss on-field confrontation with Bradshaw

Neither Tom Coughlin nor Ahmad Bradshaw wanted to discuss the heated exchange between the New York Giants head coach and his running back in the third quarter of Sunday's win over the Washington  Redskins.

Bradshaw gave the silent treatment to the media in front of his locker after the thrilling 27-23 win and Coughlin spoke, but didn't say anything specific about the on-field incident.

"That's between he and I," Coughlin said after the game.

Bradshaw was seen yelling at Coughlin as he headed back on the field after a Giants interception but it wasn't the only time the running back was seen barking at others on the same sideline.

The fired-up running back approached teammate Victor Cruz after a 15-yard run and gave the receiver some lip. Cameras also caught Bradshaw slamming his helmet then jawing at position coach Jerald Ingram as well.

Who knows what was eating Bradshaw.  He started in the backfield after nursing a foot injury all week leading up to the game.  It's the same injury which has plagued the running back throughout his six-year career.

It's hard to pinpoint what could have set the moody Bradshaw off.  He has been having one of the best stretches of his career.  After wrecking the Cleveland Browns for 200 yards, he rumbled over the vaunted San Francisco 49ers defense for 116 yards last week.

Could it be the pedestrian 43 yards on 12 carries he gained against the Redskins that made him need a Snickers? Bradshaw's tantrums look better suited for the presidential debates.

Apparently there was still some tension after the game — even after the win against a division rival was in the books.

Hopefully, Bradshaw's thorn in his foot doesn't become one in Coughlin's side.

Jason Pierre-Paul: Giants defensive ends not having 'fun' this season

If Jason Pierre-Paul thought every season was going to be like his breakout campaign last year, the New York Giants defensive end is finding out not every one is always fun and games.  The operative word here being "fun."

After only four games, Pierre-Paul is unhappy with his own performance (1-1/2 sacks) and and the inefficiency of the Giants defensive ends to pressure opposing quarterbacks.  The vaunted "NASCAR" defense — Pierre-Paul, Justin Tuck and Osi Unmenyiora — has recorded only 3-1/2 sacks through the first quarter of the season.

"I'm not having that fun, I'm used to," said the 23-year old Pierre-Paul on Thursday.  "I've just got to go out and run around like a little kid — just be happy that you're out there and make plays.  Have that energy that I had last year."

It sounds like Are you down with JPP? just took on a whole new meaning.

"And that'll go for the other guys, too," he continued.  "You could see it in their eyes that they're not having fun with the game.  They've got to find themselves and I've got to find myself."

All three defensive studs would like to get back to last year's mirth-making performances that lead to a Super Bowl title but have been hindered this season by double-teams and key injuries to defensive unit — particularly the secondary.

Kenny Phillips joined Antrel Rolle and Corey Webster with injuries that kept all three defensive backs off the practice field this week.  Phillips was on trainer's table in the first quarter against the Eagles after spraining an MCL.  Tuck said the safety's absence in the final three quarters of last week's loss made him "gun-shy."

"I'm not having that much fun, either," added Tuck. "I pretty much suck."

The Giants (2-2) had a full week to prepare for the Cleveland Browns without Phillips.  Now, the defense's task will be to adjust.

"Sometimes you just have to whip somebody's (butt) and make a play," defensive coordinator Perry Fewell said.  "And we need to do that."

Pierre-Paul — who many expect someday to break former Giants DE Michael Strahan's single-season sack record* ( *Brett Favre) — has to learn to block out the fans' high hopes and remember there's a Super Bowl bulls eye on each Giants player's back in every game this year.

"People have high expectations of me, so it kind of brings me down a little knowing I've got to live up to that," Pierre-Paul said.  "But I have to have fun too.  I can't just go out there thinking I'm Jason Pierre-Paul.  It doesn't work that way."

Could facing a Browns (0-4) team — spear-headed by rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden and first year running back Trent Richardson — be the cure for the Giants blues?

"We aren't living up to the way we expect to around here," said Pierre-Paul.  "We're not going to make excuses about it.  We haven't played the way we're capable of playing.  That's why I haven't had the same amount of fun."

Are you depressed with JPP, yet?