With Browns coach Mike Pettine likely soon to be out of Cleveland, he may never have to deal with the report that quarterback Johnny Manziel was in Las Vegas on Saturday.
“I don’t know,” Pettine told reporters as to whether Manziel was in Las Vegas. “I wasn’t. To me, when guys are — we have a protocol for them if they’re inactive. I don’t have all of the information on that yet, but my biggest concern was the guys that we’re going to be out there today getting prepared for the Steelers.”
What if it turned out that Manziel was in Vegas?
“Let me gather the information on it,” Pettine said. “It would be disappointing. I’ll leave it at that: Disappointing.”
It’ll be especially disappointing given that Manziel apparently tried to cover his tracks with a social-media post that created the impression he was in Cleveland. It’s similar to the deception Manziel apparently used when a video emerged during the bye week of Manziel partying in Texas; he reportedly lied to the team about when the video was generated, and he also reportedly recruited others to support his chicanery.
Pettine has far bigger fish to fry, especially since his goose is likely about to be cooked. But Manziel by all appearances is trying to get out of Cleveland. Soon, both Pettine and Manziel may be.