This is Larry Doby’s Story: Reliving Yesteryear
July 24, 2015Cavs trade Brendan Haywood, Mike Miller, picks to Blazers for trade exceptions
July 26, 2015Second-year quarterback Johnny Manziel has been on his best behavior this summer, and he recently went for some extra credit by spending some time in Tampa, Florida with former NFL head coach and current ESPN analyst Jon Gruden. Charlie Campbell of WalterFootball.com was first with the report, with the Akron Beacon Journal‘s Nate Ulrich confirming.
From Ulrich:
Manziel’s training with Gruden consisted of film study and on-field work. The sessions serve as the latest examples of Manziel showing more dedication to his job heading into his second NFL season than he did during his disastrous rookie campaign.
Manziel has garnered nothing but praise this offseason. All-Pro left tackle Joe Thomas called the change in the quarterback’s behavior “night and day” compared to last year, while linebacker Karlos Dansby said “he’s grown up right before our eyes.” Pro Bowl center Alex Mack wasn’t quite as effusive in his comments, saying that Manziel “just needs to work hard.”
For his part, Manziel copped to the distraction of his “Johnny Football” persona and said that he’s done with his infamous money sign celebration. He has to prove himself on the field before any of this is more than empty calories, but after a sloppy, disappointing rookie season, it’s at least promising to hear.
Manziel and Gruden have a bit of history together. Gruden was bullish on Manziel before the 2014 NFL Draft, saying “there’s a lot of magic to him” and reportedly urging the Oakland Raiders to select Manziel, potentially so Gruden could return to Oakland and coach the signal-caller.
Manziel also appeared on Gruden’s QB Camp segment on ESPN.
Before the 2014 Draft, Gruden was high on Manziel’s desire and ability to learn, and pointed out that Manziel went through several different coaches while at Texas A&M.
Again via Ulrich:
“I know he can learn,” Gruden said. “I spent two days with him, and I know he wants to learn. He had four different offensive coordinators at Texas A&M. He had two different head coaches. It didn’t matter. He adapted and did extremely well. This is the first Heisman Trophy winner as a freshman. In two years at Texas A&M, he had the most productive back-to-back seasons in SEC history. I don’t know what you want him to do. He threw for 8,000, ran for 2,000, he has 93 touchdowns. All I know is I want Manziel.”
Manziel and the Browns quarterbacks are due into training camp Monday, July 27, with the first teamwide practice set for next Thursday morning. Manziel goes into camp as the presumptive backup behind free agent signee Josh McCown.
[Related: Josh McCown is not a mannequin]
36 Comments
If Gruden is going to try to rectify every guy he was bullish on, there will be a line of QBs around the corner waiting.
Seriously, I wonder what Gruden’s motivation is…a little charity after JFF took such a PR beating? Or is he going to turn this into some special like “QB School–the GED sessions?
Either way, the extra time and mentorship can’t hurt…glad to see it.
He’s a bum.
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I don’t like Gruden either.
Why is Gruden considered a QB expert again? I keep forgetting.
I dunno man, he makes some beautiful play calls. “Draw me up a 32 Scat-Cat w/ a Y60 Holleration P90X”
He meant Tristan Thompson.
More talk…talk talk talk talk talk talk! That being said if we have to watch him play then that probably means something bad happened.
Say it with me: SU… PER…. BOWL.
To be fair, Manziel is doing more than talking. He IS actually doing things, things that are quite different from those that he was doing last year.
But yeah…. don’t sell me any more off-season dedication. Show me something on the field in the regular season.
I think Holmgren knighted him at some point.
Cupcake is delusional.
He’ll be one very well paid delusional cupcake by start of season. Book it!
He wants to do for Johnny Manziel what he did for Bruce Gradkowski and Chris Simms.
Dude is a saint.
You are to kind and generous.
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I have little to no faith that Manziel can play QB in the NFL. But I won’t bad mouth the guy for going to rehab, getting clean, and showing some actual interest in getting better. Maybe it’s BS. We’ll see. Until then, I’m not afraid to give him some credit.
I don’t have enough time to waste on his off field antics it was just half of the reason why I hoped he wasn’t drafted. The other half is based on his physical characteristics.
The fact that he needs to be given credit for being a professional says it all.
He won’t make more than 5/80. Book it.
I was speaking about getting over an addiction. And I wouldn’t call practicing with an ex-HC “antics”.
5/85 same as Draymond is my prediction!
You assume to many things starting with that he had an addiction at all. I may be wrong but as of today I have not seen or heard Manziel say he had an addiction ever. As for whatever he did with Gruden like the others mentioned above when did John Gruden become a QB guru and why would Manziel go to him? Perhaps because Gruden loves to talk and not once have I seen him not speak glowingly of any potential QB? Nahhhhhhhh!
He went to rehab. Call it what you will. Admitting that you have a problem and going through steps to address it is pretty mature imo. Does he deserve an award? No. But we can be non-jerks long enough to acknowledge what he’s done.
Like I said, you might be right. Maybe it’s all BS and nothing more than public relations control to help the Johnny Manziel brand. Or to keep his name in the news or whatever. But still, I’d rather have his name in the news for practicing more rather than passing out in a swan boat.
I still stand by my point that the guy isn’t just talk, talk, talking this offseason. He’s doing things quite differently.
I don’t know what he did just like with Josh Gordon. I stick by not giving credit for basically doing anything starting with being a professional. He gets paid well to be at the least professional. We’ll unfortunately probably see if he learned anything as it’s related to on field play that is unless someone jettisons him which I don’t see happening.
Can’t we just be glad he’s apparently working hard instead of partying? Athletes shouldn’t generally get kudos for exercising either, but if Jamarcus Russell had hit the gym more often his career might have been a whole lot different. It’s good news, cheer up!
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I mean flip right, double X,Jet, 36, naked waggle, X-7, quarter.
Ah our own famous QB guru. Suddenly it all makes sense.
my only question: are the Browns’ own coaches unable to watch film with him? The team would probably love to have its own guys work with him.
Hope it’s not more look-at-me stuff, sober version.
Gruden has passion, forgot more about foot football than anyone on this post will ever know…oh, did I mention a ring. So when he sees something I have a hard time not believing. He loves what he does….I see no problem with that, I love the energy.
Way o go out on a limb, there. lol
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wow, Bobby McFerrin really let his hair grow
shh, he’s on a roll.
Yup, took a lot of effort to shepard a team built by another coach and lead them to victory over your former team that had failed to make scheme changes to the point that your own players are calling out their plays at the line. And then watching your team fall apart as you fail to develop any young talent, especially at the QB spot where you rely on washed up vets to try to get by instead. Jon Gruden, football savant.