Cleveland Browns

Johnny Manziel stays on the bench: Cleveland Browns name Austin Davis starter

Published Dec. 2, 2015 11:11 a.m. ET

foxsports

BEREA, Ohio -- Browns coach Mike Pettine has picked quarterback Austin Davis over Johnny Manziel to start Sunday against -- Johnny Manziel won't be getting his starting job back just yet.

The Cleveland Browns named Austin Davis the starter for Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals, the team announced on Wednesday.

"Austin took advantage of his opportunity on Monday night. He was prepared, played well and put us in position to win," head coach Mike Pettine said. "He's been great in the quarterback room all season and he has earned the right to start on Sunday. We expect him to play well."

Josh McCown broke his collarbone in Monday night's last-second loss to Baltimore, an injury that will cost him the final five games this season and re-open more quarterback chaos in Cleveland.

The 36-year-old McCown, who sustained a concussion on the Browns' opening drive this season and missed two games with badly injured ribs, kept playing against the Ravens despite taking a hard hit in the second half.

However, he took himself out after throwing an incompletion in the fourth quarter, leaving the field in excruciating pain.

Pettine said McCown will not need surgery, the lone positive to another bad turn of events for a team that has lost six straight and may not have hit rock bottom.

"Worst possible scenario for Josh," Pettine said. "It was not displaced, so he does not need to have surgery but it will take more than the rest of the season to get it healed up. That's very unfortunate. Josh means a lot to this team, whether it's in the locker room, practice field, game day, just the positive energy that he exuded, the leadership.

"I cannot say enough positive things about Josh McCown and what he's done for this football team and what he means to this football team."

McCown was signed to a three-year deal to stabilize Cleveland's wobbly quarterback situation. He did the best he could while also serving as a mentor to Manziel, who was recently given the starting job and then had it taken from him for off-field behavior.