Johnny Manziel: Money Sign and 'Johnny Football' Persona Are Out

Johnny Manziel will be kicking his "Johnny Football" persona that he created for himself to the curb this season, and that includes shunning the money sign symbol he used to make with his fingers after big plays.

"I think at times 'Johnny Football' probably took over me a little bit and I bought into that,” the 22-year-old Cleveland Browns quarterback told reporters this week, according to The Associated Press. "I didn't do my best to hush things down, push down the hype. At times I welcomed it with immaturity and just accepted that a little bit — and that's my fault."

Manziel's interview was his first with the public since he spent 10 weeks in a Pennsylvania rehab facility. The precise reason for his stay has not been announced but an unnamed advisor told ESPN that he was in rehab “in order to be a better family member, friend, and teammate."

Now Manziel knows it is time for a change. Since his stint in rehab, the former Heisman Trophy winner has been trying to maintain a low profile. He even took the blame for that he says was “a disaster” for the Browns.

“Everything that happened last year is not on anybody else but myself," he acknowledged. "My focus is on football. It's what I'm here to do. It's what I love to do and that's what I'm here to talk about today."

Manziel admits his reckless behavior was a distraction for the team last season.

“It's not fair for Joe Haden to be having to answer questions about me every day. It's not fair for Joe Thomas and all these guys to just continue to have questions asked about me. I don't think that's fair at all and I don't want that on them," he said.

Manziel also said he is ready to let go of his party lifestyle and live up to the expectations others have set for him.

"I'm doing the right things and taking the right steps necessary for me to put myself in the best position possible to be exactly what this organization drafted me to be," he said. “I'm not giving up on the fact that they brought me in here as a first-round pick and want to see something out of me."

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