ESPN analyst Merril Hoge made good on his pledge to wear an orange tie if Johnny Manziel played well for the Browns against the Titans Sunday.
Taking it a step further -- and marking a total turnaround from previous comments -- Hoge told Hannah Storm that Manziel should “without a doubt” be the starter for the Browns next week vs. the Raiders.
Shortly after Manziel threw a 50-yard, game-clinching touchdown to Travis Benjamin on Sunday to give the Browns their first win of the season, Manziel’s agent, Erik Burkhardt tweeted a wink and kiss emoji to Hoge. Hoge has been teeing off on Manziel since before the 2014 draft, but he’s maintained it isn’t personal.
Asked Friday if he wanted to “shut up people like Merril Hoge,” Manziel said he thought Hoge should just be worried about his big neckties. After Sunday’s game Manziel answered a question about Hoge by saying, “Merril Hoge will always be Merril Hoge.”
In an interview with a Cleveland radio station last Friday, Hoge pledged to wear a brown and orange tie if Manziel “lit it up” in Sunday’s game vs. the Titans. Manziel only completed eight passes but threw touchdowns of 50 and 60 yards to Benjamin.
So, Hoge made good on his word, and now we wait to see if Browns coach Mike Pettine names Manziel the starter once Josh McCown is cleared by doctors and allowed to return after a concussion.
