Johnny Manziel Rumors: NFL Opens Official Investigation Into Manziel Incident

Johnny Manziel rumors now include the NFL opening an official investigation into his recent incident. Manziel rumors have been swirling around the Cleveland Browns since he was drafted out of Texas A&M, with several involving off-field incidents that have hurt his image. A report from CBS Sports now states that it is possible Manziel could face a suspension due to a very public incident involving his girlfriend.

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, police were called by a witness that stated she had seen Manziel pass her at an estimated speed of 90 miles an hour and that an argument was taking place in his white Nissan. Manziel and girlfriend Colleen Crowley were questioned on the evening of Monday, October 12, but police didn’t make any arrests at the time. Information later alleged that Crowley had tried to get out of the vehicle while it was moving, and Manziel had taken her phone and refused to give it back.

While it now appears that no charges against either party will come from the police, it doesn’t guarantee that the league won’t decide to take action now. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy has already issued a statement on the Johnny Manziel rumors, although it didn’t give all the information that NFL and Cleveland Browns fans are hoping to find out.

“It is standard procedure to look into any incident that is a potential violation of our personal conduct policy.”

Cleveland Browns head coach, Mike Pettine, also spoke at length in a report released by FOX Sports. He not only addressed the incident between Manziel and Crowley, but he also mentioned the dash-cam video that has been revealed by police in Avon, Ohio.

“I’m not of the mind that all discipline has to be public. If you think we’re turning a cheek to it and ignoring it, you’d be dead wrong. I get the concern and I get the outcry and I know everything with him is magnified times a thousand. He’s made a lot of strides and this is a process for him and I know it’s something that is upsetting. It’s upsetting for all of us.”

This makes it appear that the Browns may have already disciplined Manziel for what took place, even though the extent of any punishment has not been released to the media. It is commonplace for the NFL to wait to see what a franchise does with its player before taking action, so it’s possible that the league office has already contacted the Browns about the situation. One piece of information that could be important is whether Manziel is part of the NFL substance-abuse program after recent off-field concerns. If he is, this incident could be considered a violation of the program.

The 2015 NFL season didn’t start out very well for Manziel. He has completed 21-of-39 passes for 354 yards, with three touchdowns and an interception to his credit. The team went 1-1 in those games, but Pettine has since replaced him as the starting quarterback. It was a vast improvement over what he did in the 2014 NFL season (175 total passing yards), but it wasn’t enough to hold down the starting job for the Cleveland Browns. Josh McCown has been given the full-time job now, and it doesn’t appear as though Mike Pettine is going to consider a change in the near future.

The Cleveland Browns play the St. Louis Cardinals in Week 7, with the game scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, October 25. Though there have been a number of recent Johnny Manziel rumors, he still remains the backup quarterback on the depth chart. There has been chatter that he could get cut, but that hasn’t happened just yet.

[Photo by: Grant Halverson/Getty Images]