National Football League

Mixed messages as Manziel vows to take football 'more seriously'

Published Dec. 23, 2014 6:35 p.m. ET

foxsports

BEREA, Ohio - Two days after he gave what amounted to a concession speech following a game in which he struggled and was injured, Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel opened up Tuesday on his rookie season and where he hopes to go in the future.

"I have to take this a lot more seriously," Manziel said.

Strangely, he also said he doesn't believe he would have done anything differently in his rookie season.

That season consisted of two starts, three cameo appearances and not much success. Manziel has been shut down for the season after suffering a hamstring injury in the second quarter of a loss at Carolina last Sunday. In his six quarters as a starter, the Browns didn't score a touchdown.

Going back to last May, though, Manziel appeared in plenty of Instagram photos and appeared to have plenty of fun. In November he was involved in an early-morning fight in his Cleveland apartment complex after being approached by what he called an overzealous fan. No one was charged.

The Browns would like Manziel, who turned 22 earlier this month and was drafted at No. 22 overall last spring, to be their quarterback of the future. And Manziel made clear that he thinks he can be that.

"I came in here as a kid with a college mindset," Manziel said. "That has absolutely faded from my mind."

Of his work habits, Manziel admits he "hasn't painted the greatest picture of myself being in here and being on top of my stuff" but said he believes his teammates have seen him work and believe he's committed to being a successful NFL player.

"I'll make sure I'm healthy and come back for (offseason work) ready to go," he said. "I want to be the guy here.

"I'm not the same guy who came in here. It's been a year of growing up for me."

Manziel said he'll go home to Texas after the Browns finish their season Sunday and eventually to California "to work with quarterback coaches" -- he worked last February in San Diego with quarterback trainer George Whitfield -- but said he'll "be here," meaning in the Cleveland area.

Then he mentioned being in Cleveland for Cleveland Cavaliers playoff games, "being around Maverick (Carter) and LeBron (James) and those guys." He has a business relationship with the James-owned LRMR marketing firm.

Manziel said he thought he "learned a lot ... grew up a lot" in his rookie season and admitted his lack of success and the injury made for "a disappointing end."

After the game in Carolina, Manziel looked ahead to 2015 and said "I want to be the guy. That's what I want to do and that's what I want to be for this organization, so for me, if anything, this has motivated me more to head into this offseason."

Tuesday, he sounded like he believes he'll get that chance.

"I don't think it would be fair to give up on somebody after seven quarters of football," Manziel said. "This is my job. I want to take it seriously and take it that way every single day."