CLEVELAND, Ohio – Bengals coach Marvin Lewis has added some spice to this week’s game against the Browns by calling rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel “a midget.”
During a radio interview on WLW-AM in Cincinnati, Lewis referred to the 6-foot Manziel as “a midget” after he was asked if the uncertainty about Cleveland’s quarterback situation impacts the Bengals’ preparation for Sunday.
Browns coach Mike Pettine hasn’t decided if Manziel will replace struggling starter Brian Hoyer and make his first NFL start.
Lewis tells the radio station, “You’ll get a little bit more movement if Manziel’s the quarterback, the thing that they did against (last week against) Buffalo. But other than that, no, that doesn’t impact you at all. You’ve got to go defend the offense, you don’t defend the player.”
One of the hosts began to ask another question when Lewis interrupted and said, “particularly a midget.”
Pettine chose to stick with Hoyer last week over Manziel, who came off the bench the previous week at Buffalo, but Hoyer says he has not been told whether he’ll start against Cincinnati.
He has thrown just one touchdown in the past five games but said Monday that he feels he still has the trust of his teammates and Cleveland’s coaching staff. He had another rough game Sunday, when the Browns (7-6) blew a 21-7 lead in the third quarter and lost 25-24 to Indianapolis.
Hoyer says he’s proceeding as if he’s still the starter until told otherwise.
Hoyer doesn’t think he’s playing any differently. He bemoaned missed opportunities against the Colts, especially on long passes in which he overthrew receivers Josh Gordon and Taylor Gabriel.