INQUISITR.COM / Sports

Josh McCown To Start For Cleveland Browns, Johnny Manziel Back On The Bench

By Toni Matthews
Published on: 02:29 PST, Sep 24, 2015

Josh McCown will start for the Cleveland Browns this Sunday, which sees them hosting the Oakland Raiders. It’s a shock to some fans, who anticipated Johnny Manziel would remain the starting quarterback after his performance against the Tennessee Titans. McCown went out during Week 1 action due to a concussion. It was a game that saw Cleveland lose 31-10 to the New York Jets, but many remarked that the brief appearance by Manziel was impressive.

Johnny said of stepping in for Josh, “I bridged the gap and that’s what we needed. Our team needed a win, and I was the next guy up. We got the win.”

Cleveland.com said the backup QB willingly admitted to being disappointed about returning to the bench. After all, a starting position and chance to prove himself would be ideal.

It looks like the Browns aren’t willing to put all of their faith in Johnny just yet. McCown was given the “all clear” Wednesday, and Coach Mike Pettine decided to trust his gut and go with the experienced starter. McCown said during an interview that he’s sympathetic to the 22-year-old backup quarterback’s plight.

“You’ve got a young guy that comes in and plays well, I get it, I understand it.”

Josh said that he also wouldn’t be surprised if he met with resistance on Sunday from hardcore fans of “Johnny Football.”

“For me, you don’t want it to be a distraction for everybody else. But at the same time, I understand where (the fans are) coming from. There’s so much to be excited about with the way Johnny played Sunday and where he’s headed. I understand it, that’s part of it, I’ve gone through that before.'”

While it would be nice to see if “Manziel Mania” is justified, it’s important to remember that the Cleveland Browns aren’t in the position to hang all of its hope on Johnny’s potential. Josh McCown is the more experienced player, and his experience will be key to both aiding the Browns and helping Johnny finally find his footing in the NFL. Football fans may be disappointed that the Browns went with Josh McCown, but it’s possible the decision could work to the team’s advantage when they play Oakland.

What do you think: Should the Cleveland Browns stuck with Johnny Manziel, or were they right to give Josh McCown his starting position? Comment below!

[Image Credit: Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images]

Share this article: Josh McCown To Start For Cleveland Browns, Johnny Manziel Back On The Bench
nfl johnny manziel Cleveland Browns Josh McCown
More from Inquisitr