@zach

2mo

Johnny Football to the Browns: Today in Sports History

On May 8th, 2014, the Cleveland Browns traded up four spots to select Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel with the 22nd overall pick. The 2012 Heisman Trophy winner was the 2nd quarterback drafted in that year’s class, after UCF’s Blake Bortles stayed in Florida, being selected 3rd overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was a highly touted prospect, but many cited his off-field issues as a reason to pass on him. "I don't like his antics,” former head coach Barry Switzer said of Manziel. “I think he's an arrogant little prick. I've said that and I'll say it again." While Manziel was waiting to get drafted, he texted then-Browns quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains that he wanted to "wreck the league" in Cleveland. Loggains showed that text to head coach Mike Pettine, leading to the decision to trade up for Manziel. Manziel appeared in 14 games for the Browns over two seasons, throwing for 1675 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions. His work ethic was called into question by over 20 Browns sources, and Manziel made more headlines off the field than on it. These headlines, just with the Browns, include: - Being fined $12000 by the NFL for flipping the bird in a preseason loss to the Washington Redskins - Entered a treatment program - Threw a water bottle at a heckler during a golf tournament (and unsurprisingly missed) - Being pulled over for fighting in his car with his girlfriend, and admitting to having had alcohol earlier that same day - Partied in Texas during the Browns’ 2015 bye week - Rumored to have been in Las Vegas for the final game of the season, with the Browns confirming he missed a check-in on the morning of that game - Being dropped by his marketing agency - The Dallas Police Department opening a criminal investigation with a claim of domestic violence against his now ex-girlfriend - Dropped by his agent The Browns released Johnny Manziel on March 11th, 2016. By the end of April, Manziel was dropped by a second agent, lost his sponsorship with Nike, and was indicted by a Dallas grand jury on misdemeanor assault charges for the domestic violence incident.

Browns

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Deshaun Watson’s Last Ride

Watson enters the last year of his five year $230 million fully guaranteed contract with the Browns. Needless to say, the deal hasn’t exactly gone the way the Browns and their fans (including myself) have hoped. Watson was traded to the Browns in March of 2022 from the Texans. The Texans received a baffling THREE first round picks (all of which they flipped for talented players including CJ Stroud and Will Anderson Jr). In return, the Browns got Watson who garnered a 9-10 record, 3,365 total yards, 19 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and a completion percentage of 61%. Watson missed multiple games each season, including all of 2025. Not to mention, Watson carried a horrific reputation with him due to his laundry list of sexual assault allegations. Needless to say, this has been the worst trade in NFL history. It cost Kevin Stefanski his job, wasted Nick Chubb’s prime, costed Myles Garrett his mental health, and set the Browns back at least five years. Will Watson finally put it all together and save his reputation? Or will he go down as an all time “what if” and man who had one of the worst falloffs in NFL history?

@Bro

Seattles Unforgettable Run!!

After so much disappointment for the Hawks in the 2020s with Russ being traded and the weird but never forgotten Geno Smith era. The Hawks were Hoping praying even that they could just mark the playoffs in the 2025-2026 season coming with a new QB in Sam Darnold who led the vikings to a 14-3 season the last season, they hoped to get even a little sniff of that Sam Darnold. And they did in fact they got the same Darnold as the season before. At 14-3 and winning the NFC West, they headed into the playoffs with a bye and the 1st seed. Now you may ask yourself was it Sam Darnold or someone else who lifted this season up. No it was the defence. Only allowing an average of 16.8 ppg 285.9 ypg (first in the NFL) with 47 total sacks as well. In the playoffs they have classic BTA to the niners 😂 and barely escaped the Rams. But in the Super Bowl the hawks offence and Defence combined to Kill the Frauds which is the New England Patriots. With Ken Walker the 3rd winning MVP Overall WE all saw this coming Thanks Bad Bunny

@emily

The Curse Of Winning 15 Games: Part 4: Panthers

15 wins in an NFL regular season. That's pretty hard. Before the schedule expanded to 17 games, you would have to win 93.75% of your games. That' the equivalent of an MLB team winning 152 games. Yet, 9 teams have done it. First, it had to be possible. The league expanded to 16 games in 1978. Today, we visit the 2015 Carolina Panthers. 7-8-1. That was the record of the 2014 Carolina Panthers that still made the playoffs. The record of the 2014 Carolina Panthers that somehow upset the Cardinals in the wild card. And the record of the 20th season in Carolina Panthers history. However, the 21st would be much more famous. Superman... To the rescue. They started the season 14-0. The best in NFC history. They joined the 1972 Dolphins, 2007 Patriots and 2009 Colts as the only teams to start 14-0. Their BYE week was in Week 5. They might as well have been doomed to never get 15 wins. Cam Newton was playing good, but that's a long time to not get a week off. They defied the odds. All of them. Fanduel. Draftkings. The Panthers defied all of the odds and all of the people's beliefs. Week 8. Colts. They won 29-26 in overtime. Somehow. They had a pretty dominant season. There's not much to say, really. In Week 14, they beat the Falcons 38-0. But that same Atlanta Falcons team would deny their undefeated hopes 2 weeks later by beating them 20-13. In between those weeks, the Panthers almost lost to the Giants 38-35. They beat the Bucs 38-10 in Week 17 to end the dominant year 15-1. They would see the 6 seed Seahawks in their first game. And they almost lost. They almost had the same fate as the 2011 Packers. But they survived 31-24 against the defending NFC Champions. They then brutally murdered the Arizona Cardinals 49-15 in the NFC Championship game. The Carolina Panthers made the super bowl against the Denver Broncos. They had a chance. But as we all know... Cam Newton never fell on the ball.