Looking back, former Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel understands now that he needed more positive influences surrounding him during his early days in the NFL.
The former Heisman winner had a first-year head coach in Mike Pettine, a veteran backup quarterback in Brian Hoyer filling into the starting role, and few resources to help him navigate the pitfalls of his new NFL lifestyle.
Without a veteran presence to guide him, Manziel famously flamed out in Cleveland after just two seasons.
Having a veteran quarterback could have potentially prevented the Browns signal-caller from falling out of the league after two seasons.
In a recent interview, Manziel acknowledged at least one player he would have liked to have played with in Cleveland, naming fellow former first-round quarterback Vince Young as a player who could have helped him during his early NFL days.
“It would have been nice to have you in that room for sure,” Manziel said to Young.
Adding Manziel to the roster cost Young his roster spot in Cleveland, according to the former University of Texas quarterback.
Young last played in an NFL game during the 2011 season with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Over the next three offseasons, he was signed and cut by the Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers, and the Browns, respectively.
In his career, Young started 50 of the 60 contests he played in, throwing for 8,964 yards, 46 touchdowns, and 51 interceptions.
Young was a mobile quarterback who was drafted as the No. 3 overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft.
