CHARLOTTE -- Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel left Sunday's game vs. the Carolina Panthers late in the first half after suffering a hamstring injury. He spent the second half watching from the Browns sideline.
Manziel left the game after taking a big hit on what Browns coach Mike Pettine said was a designed run, but Manziel said after the game he actually injured the hamstring while releasing a pass on the previous drive and aggravated it while heading to the sideline on a run with 1:49 left in the second quarter.
"It felt like I was cramping," Manziel said. "But it was more than that. It's something I've never experienced before."
Pettine said Manziel could have gone back in the game in the second half but "he would not have been mobile."
Manziel was hit by Panthers safety Colin Jones and linebacker Luke Kuechly on what became his final play of the day. It appeared Jones shoulder or elbow hit Manziel's head, and Manziel landed awkwardly. But Manziel said it wasn't his head or shoulder that was injured.
"I took a couple steps and realized it was something (besides cramping)," he said. "I was ready to hop back in (after the hit). It's pretty frustrating."
Members of the Browns medical staff attended to Manziel on the field for nearly two minutes. Brian Hoyer, who started the first 14 games of the season, replaced him. After Hoyer's first two plays, Manziel walked to the locker room with a towel over his head, escorted by training staff members.
Manziel said he was evaluated at halftime and "we came to the conclusion" that he wasn't ready to return to the game.
"If I needed to go back in, I was 100 percent ready to do that for the team," he said.
Manziel was 3-of-8 for 32 yards before the injury. He left with the Browns trailing, 10-3, in what became a 17-13 loss.
After the game, Pettine said he didn't know the extent of Manziel's injury and would not name a starting quarterback for next week's season finale in Baltimore until he gets more information.
