Johnny Manziel won the Heisman Trophy during his time with Texas A&M before being picked 22nd overall in the 2014 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns. There were high hopes for the quarterback, but he did little justice during his two years with the franchise. He soon came to be known as a first-round bust who just couldn’t crack at the professional level.
Over a decade later, Manziel still has nothing good to say about the franchise that drafted Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL draft. He said the franchise didn’t put him in a position to succeed.
A day after Manziel’s controversial remarks against the franchise started doing the rounds in the NFL circles, one podcast host fired back at the former quarterback. On his “The Tony Rizzo Show,” the host said Manziel’s time in Cleveland went wrong because of his own.
“You’re blaming everybody else,” Rizzo said. “You’re blaming Cleveland for rooting against us. By the way, who cares? Who cares whether you blame us or not? You’re done. Your career is done. You want to blame us? Fine. We’ve moved on. You weren’t a professional. You didn’t take your job seriously. And now you’re going to turn around and blame Cleveland and the Browns organization? That is an absolute joke.”
Rizzo further alleged that the former quarterback is only talking trash as a means to stay relevant in NFL circles.
“Is that the only way you can keep yourself relevant these days? By the way, what’s he doing? What is he doing right now? What’s his job?” Rizzo asked, adding, “You know what, I shouldn’t even give it [attention], but I’ve got to speak up for the fans here in the organization. You’re a joke. You’re a joke. It didn’t have to end this way.”
"That is an absolute joke, is that the only way you can keep yourself relevant these days?" – @TheRealTRizzo responds to Johnny Manziel's comments about Cleveland. pic.twitter.com/kvke10XjhP
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) September 3, 2025
Johnny Manziel’s viral rant against Browns
The relationship between the Browns and their former first-round pick worsened after Johnny Manziel’s latest admission on how much he hates the franchise for derailing his NFL career.
During his appearance on the Nightcap podcast, Manziel said he roots for the Browns to go winless every season.
“I sit here today and I’m like, ‘F*** it, I think I’m going to be p*ssed at them and hate them forever.’ So, it is what it is, man. No love for the Browns; I’m rooting for 0-16 seasons every season,” Manziel said.
Manziel’s NFL career was limited to 14 appearances in which he posted a 2-6 record, completing 57% of his passes for 1,675 passing yards, seven touchdowns, and five interceptions. The quarterback’s off-field struggles, including substance issues and less motivation to improve are often cited as prime reasons for his underwhelming NFL career.
Read More: Insider Claims Dillon Gabriel Can Prove As Roadblock In Shedeur Sanders’ Path To Becoming Browns’ Starting QB
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