Former Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan was introduced under the same position with the Atlanta Falcons on Tuesday. He didn't have much to say about his time spent in Cleveland, but he did talk about Johnny Manziel in a positive manner.
Shanahan left the Browns after just one season due to internal discord that was muddled with personal issues regarding Manziel and wide receiver Josh Gordon, as well as reports of texts messages from the team's ownership pressuring the coaching staff to put in Manziel over starter Brian Hoyer during games.
Manziel recently checked himself into an undisclosed inpatient rehab facility to address his possible dependence on alcohol. The former Heisman Trophy winner was fined at the end of the season for being late to receive treatment on his injured hamstring and it was then discovered he had thrown a party the previous night that multiple Browns players attended. This was the latest incident surrounding Manziel's off-the-field behavior.
In late January a teammate of Manziel's said the quarterback's rookie season was a "100 percent joke." From the report, ESPN.com's Jeremy Fowler and Pat McManamon wrote:
"Those who spoke talked of a yearlong pattern that showed a lack of commitment and preparation, a failure to be ready when given a chance in his first start against Cincinnati and a continued commitment to nightlife, which affected his preparation and work while in the team facility."
However, Shanahan said today that he believes Manziel got "a little bit of a bad rep" for his work ethic because Manziel "worked very hard" when Shanahan was coaching him. Shanahan also said he "really enjoyed" working with the young quarterback and believes he "has a chance to have a good future," according to Josh Alper of NBC Sports' ProFootballTalk.
Manziel was the center of attention in the media this past season as it was speculated he would eventually be the starting quarterback for the Browns since long-term concerns regarding Hoyer continuously arose. At only 22 years old, Manziel still has a lot to learn and it's not entirely fair he faces criticism for his "partying" behavior because his age and immaturity don't suggest he's supposed to be what people expect of him.
Shanahan obviously saw some promise in the young quarterback despite his shortcomings. The notable thing here is that Manziel has chosen to address his behavior and better himself as a person and football player.
