Browns not commenting on report of Manziel trip to Vegas

By foxsports
Published

CLEVELAND (AP) Johnny Manziel's weekend itinerary remains a mystery.

The Browns are not commenting on a report that their polarizing quarterback, who sustained a concussion last week in Kansas City, went to Las Vegas on Saturday as his teammates got ready for their season finale.

Manziel was not going to play Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers because he's in the NFL's protocol on head injuries. Manziel got hurt while rushing for 108 yards in a loss to the Chiefs.

USA Today quoted an employee and patron who said they saw Manziel at Las Vegas' Planet Hollywood on Saturday. The report said he ate at a restaurant in the casino and sat down at a blackjack table.

It's not clear if the team has a policy prohibiting players from traveling when they are out with an injury.

Typically, players who have concussions are sensitive to noise, light and are encouraged to rest as they recover. The Browns do not require concussed players to be at the stadium for home games.

Manziel was not seen at FirstEnergy Stadium in the hours leading up to kickoff against the Steelers.

He posted a photo on his Twitter account on Saturday night of him lying on the floor with his dog. He used the hashtag (hash)SaturdayNights.

Manziel has had a second turbulent season with Cleveland. The 2012 Hesiman Trophy winner started six games, and while he did show progress on the field, the 23-year continued to be a distraction off it.

Browns coach Mike Pettine, who is expected to be fired following the finale, said last week that Manziel needs to address personal issues.

''Here is a guy that has an NFL skillset,'' Pettine said. ''He's very talented. If you spend some time with him, he's a likable guy. You root for him, but there are problems there. We'll talk as we're headed to the offseason about getting addressed to make sure that, I said this before, we want to make sure that all of our places are grounded or in good shape as people first, players second. I don't think you can be as effective as you can be as a player if things aren't right off the field and he's a good example of that.''

Manziel spent 10 weeks in a rehab facility last winter specializing in drug and alcohol abuse. He began the season as Josh McCown's backup, eventually took over as starter and was benched two games by Pettine after a video surfaced of him partying in Austin, Texas, during the team's bye week.

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