Why was Johnny Manziel cut from the Browns? Revisiting Heisman winner's ill-fated NFL Career

The Cleveland Browns cut Johnny Manziel after just two unproductive NFL seasons. The Browns, who took Manziel in the first round of the 2014 Draft, unceremoniously cut the Heisman Trophy winner after the 2015 NFL season.

The franchise released a three-paragraph statement on the club website removing the former Texas star from their roster. That ended one of the more disappointing NFL stints of all time, especially coming from a player that promised so much coming out of college.

Johnny Manziel never did adjust to the rigors of professional football, as the first-round pick developed a reputation for partying in his short time in the league. The Browns backed Manziel for as long as they could, but the last straw was his decision to skip the team's last game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

He had a concussion then for a trip to Las Vegas and a second domestic incident in three months. The Browns had seen enough and promptly released Manziel on March 11, 2016.

Johnny Manziel's college football legacy

Johnny Manziel is one of the greatest college quarterbacks of all time. The Texas A&M legend won every individual QB award possible, and he did so by a landslide.

Manziel came into Texas as the heir apparent to NFL-bound Ryan Tannehill, and he sure didn't disappoint. Following his redshirt first year, Manziel led Texas A&M to a stellar 2012 season.

He posted a stat line of 3,706 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and nine interceptions for the year. He also added 1,410 rushing touchdowns and 21 TDs on the ground.

Manziel won the SEC Freshman of the Year Award, the Davey O'Brien Award, the Heisman Trophy, and the College Football Performance National Freshman of the Year Award. He became the first freshman in history to win the prestigious Heisman Trophy and Davey O'Brien Award.

Johnny Manziel kept the stellar performances coming in year three, despite some journalists predicting a sophomore slump. Instead, Manziel led his University to another winning record and finished fifth in Heisman Trophy voting.

He ended his last College season with 4,114 passing yards, 37 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. He also added 759 rushing yards and nine ground TDs.

Johnny Manziel might not have made it in the NFL, but no one can say that "Johnny Football" wasn't a phenomenon in college. Few QBs shone on the national stage as he did, and there was a reason the Browns were so disappointed that he didn't pan out at the highest level.