'Absolutely not' a good idea for Johnny Manziel to drink, former coach says

Johnny Manziel did not drink when his former high school coach lived with him in the spring and summer, the coach told USA Today on Saturday.

"He kept his sobriety alive and well when I was there," said Julius Scott, whom Manziel asked to live with him after leaving treatment in April.

Scott, 55, quit his job and moved in with Manziel for several weeks. He reacted with concern when he read that Manziel told police he had two drinks with his girlfriend Monday in downtown Cleveland.

"If he asked me if I thought drinking was a good idea, I would say absolutely not," Scott said. "You'd have to have your head examined if you said, 'It's OK to go have a couple.'"

Police questioned but did not charge Manziel after the quarterback and girlfriend Colleen Crowley argued in a car as Manziel drove to his suburban home. A witness reported Manziel going an estimated 90 mph on the left shoulder, then crossing several lanes of traffic to exit the highway. Police questioned Manziel after he pulled over.

The police report indicates that Crowley was intoxicated and quotes her saying Manziel was "beating her" in the car and that he pushed her head against the glass as he drove.

Avon, Ohio, police said they did not file charges because there was no supporting evidence of abuse and because they did not witness Manziel's driving. In Ohio an officer has to see what happened to file a minor misdemeanor charge, according to police.

Police said no charges would be pursued and that there was no concern about Manziel being drunk, which is why he was allowed to drive Crowley to his Avon home.

Both Manziel and Crowley posted on social media saying they had a simple argument and that their relationship was fine.

The Browns' plan for Manziel remains unchanged for Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos, which means he should be the backup to Josh McCown and active.

Manziel entered rehab at the Caron Center outside Reading, Pennsylvania, in late January and was released in April ahead of the Browns' offseason workouts.The exact nature of Manziel's treatment was unclear, but the facility specializes in drug and alcohol rehabilitation.

The team also has no immediate plans to suspend or release Manziel. The Browns remain supportive of his post-rehab efforts but are concerned about the most recent incident.

Manziel's teammates did not notice anything awry in the quarterback or in his practice reps during the week.

One player who knew something happened was linebacker Paul Kruger, who also lives in Avon. He happened to drive by where Manziel and police cars were stopped on his way home from a garden store and stopped to see what was wrong. Police told Kruger to wait in his car while they talked to Manziel and Crowley.

Manziel's reckless driving reportedly did not stop on Monday, though. The Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports that Manziel was driving dangerously on Thursday, three days after the incident.