As we now, Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel was released from rehab last weekend after spending over two months seeking treatment for his issues with alcohol. He’s expected to be in Cleveland next week for the beginning of offseason workouts. However, before he made his way back to Ohio, he released a public statement through the team this morning, his first since leaving the treatment facility.
“I owe private apologies to a lot of people that I disappointed but a very public one to the Browns organization and the fans that I let down,” Manziel said. “I take full responsibility for my actions and it’s my intention to work very hard to regain everyone’s trust and respect. I understand that will take time and will only happen through what I do and not what I say.”
After spending such a long time away from the spotlight in attempts to tackle the demons which have plagued him for years, there were more than a few curious people wondering just what kind of Manziel was going to walk out of rehab. While this statement hardly gives us a full picture of what the new and improved Manziel looks like, it does make it appear as though the time in rehab made an impact with him.
And yet, listening to Cleveland sports radio, this statement is being met with its fair share of skepticism. Is such a reaction to someone owning up to his actions cruel? Perhaps. At the same time, the only reason there are people who doubt Manziel’s words is, frankly, because we’ve heard them all before.
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