Browns coaches reportedly quit over disagreement about Johnny Manziel’s readiness to start

The Cleveland Browns cleaned out their offensive coaching staff on Thursday, parting ways with offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and firing quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains. The reasons for the turnover are becoming clearer in the hours since the news broke. At the heart of the controversy is, reportedly, none other than quarterback Johnny Manziel.

Cleveland’s front office wanted to make Manziel the team’s starting quarterback, according to Pat McManamon of ESPN. Shanahan and Loggains did not believe that they could win with Manziel at quarterback.

The Browns made Manziel their starter in Week 15, a 30-0 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Shanahan reportedly felt pressured by the front office to insert Manziel into the starting lineup despite the offensive coordinator’s belief that the rookie wasn’t ready to handle the job.

SB Nation presents: Manziel crashes and burns in first career start

Manziel made his second start in Week 16, a 17-13 loss to the Carolina Panthers. He was injured during that game and placed on injured reserve afterwards, ending his season.

Reports of organizational dysfunction also included a report that coaches believed members of the Browns front office were sending text messages to sidelines about personnel during games.

When Jimmy Haslam bought the Browns in October 2012, it was supposed to herald a new era for the team. Haslam even promised to borrow from his management style at his truck stop company, getting out of the way and letting his leadership team do their job.

“We’re going to be involved, but involved in the proper way,” Haslam acknowledged. “I had five people that reported to me at Pilot Flying J. They’re all smarter than I am and they’re all better at their role than I am, and we let them do their jobs. On the other hand, we question them, we push them, we challenge them, we hold them accountable.”

In hindsight, borrowing an approach from a company that ran afoul of the Feds for bilking clients through an elaborate fuel rebate scam wasn’t such a good idea. The Browns under Haslam don’t seem to be any better off than they did under the previous regime.