The Browns announced Friday morning that Johnny Manziel will be their starting quarterback for Sunday’s game vs. the Titans.
Browns coach Mike Pettine said Thursday that veteran starter Josh McCown would probably start if he was cleared by doctors Friday, but before the Browns took the practice field Friday the team released a statement saying that McCown remains in the NFL’s concussion protocol and that Manziel will start.
McCown suffered a concussion while trying to dive into the end zone on the team’s first drive of the season opener. Pettine said Thursday he was “hopeful” McCown would be cleared and that “I don’t see, barring anything unforeseen, a reason why we wouldn’t play him.”
A tweet by Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports Friday indicated that the Browns were surprised that McCown was not cleared.
Manziel missed the final two preseason games with the elbow issues but was pressed into duty last week when McCown was forced out. He threw his first career touchdown pass on his first drive but turned the ball over three times in the second half of what became a 31-10 loss to the Jets.
Manziel started two games last December. Austin Davis, signed last week as the team’s third quarterback, will be the backup Sunday after not being active for last week’s game.