Cleveland Browns fans could be heard chanting for Johnny Manziel to come in and replace Josh McCown during Sunday’s 27-20 loss to the Oakland Raiders, but those fans will be disappointed for at least another game. Head coach Mike Pettine said there was never a point in which he considered replacing McCown in the loss.
Cleveland loves Johnny Manziel, but the Browns are sticking with Josh McCown
Mike Pettine says Josh McCown was never in danger of being replaced by Johnny Manziel against the Raiders.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Pettine even had some praise for McCown following the game, which effectively ended when McCown threw an interception to Charles Woodson with under a minute to go.
“I thought overall, he’s showed what he’s capable of doing,” Pettine said. “And hopefully, he’ll only get better and learn from some of the situations that came up yesterday.”
When asked about the chants for Manziel, McCown said he didn’t hear them, but understood why they were happening.
“He’s an exciting young player that I know people want to see play,” McCown said. “I understand that part, but for me, I have to just focus on where we are and what we’re doing.”
That interception to Woodson put an end to an 11-play drive that started at the Cleveland 2-yard line and ended well in Oakland territory. The Browns trailed by a single touchdown and could have sent the game to overtime with a score and an extra point.
Despite a rough start, the Browns were able to come back and make the game close in McCown's second start of the season. He only attempted eight passes in Week 1 against the New York Jets before suffering a concussion, and Manziel had to finish out that game. When McCown wasn't cleared before their Week 2 matchup against the Tennessee Titans, Manziel started and threw a pair of touchdown passes to give Cleveland its only win on the season.
Although TMZ published a report on Monday saying there were several teammates who were “furious” that McCown was starting over Manziel, at least one Browns player is denying the claims. Wide receiver Andrew Hawkins called the report “1000 percent made up,” via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.
Next up, the Browns will head to San Diego to take on the Chargers in their Week 4 matchup. The Chargers are also 1-2 on the season, and if Pettine sticks to his guns, it's McCown they'll be tasked to stop when the game gets underway.
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