NFL's Andy Moeller Line Coach Sacked In Cleveland After Alleged Fiancee Attack
Seems like it was just a matter of time, but the Cleveland Browns have officially cut ties with offensive line coach Andy Moeller ... after an altercation with his fiancee earlier this month.
As we previously reported, Moeller's fiancee called police and claimed he strangled and beat her at his Maryland home on September 5th.
Cops investigated and determined an "incident of a volatile nature" took place ... but DID NOT charge him with a crime because they couldn't prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Moeller actually attacked his fiancee.
Still, the situation was too hot for the Browns -- and now Moeller is out in Cleveland.
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Cleveland Browns Players Furious Over Johnny Manziel 'Put Him In the Damn Game'
It's not just the Browns fans who want Johnny Manziel to start at QB -- several Cleveland players are also calling for #2 ... telling TMZ Sports it's "f**ked up" he's still riding the bench.
We spoke with 3 starting players on the Browns offense -- all of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity -- who tell us the team wants Manziel under center on Sunday ... not Josh McCown.
One player who admits he's extremely frustrated with the QB situation says, "I love both Johnny and Josh but its f**ked up when you have Johnny come in and play well and has proven to the team that he is the right person for the job."
"It’s frustrating to him and us when you sit a player down when he is playing well. Coach has got to understand you are messing up the chemistry and timing with players and its f**ked up."
Another player tells us, "The team plays better when [Manziel] is in the game. I play better when he plays."
"You can’t get better unless you play. We won when he played and coach has got to trust him like he trusts Josh."
A 3rd player added, "When Johnny in the game it puts the defense on edge. He doesn’t just sit in the pocket, he makes plays. Coach has got to make the change now."
As for McCown, now that's he's 0-2 as the starter ... he says he "understands" why fans want to see Manziel, but insists he's still the right man for the job. Now, it seems he's gonna have to convince his teammates too.
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Cleveland Browns Coach Off the Hook In Alleged Fiancee Attack
The Cleveland Browns offensive line coach who was accused of beating and strangling his fiancee will NOT be hit with criminal charges ... TMZ Sports has learned.
As we previously reported, Andy Moeller's fiancee called police on September 5th claiming Moeller snapped during an argument at his home -- and physically attacked her. She claimed he had been drinking.
Enter the Berea City Prosecutor ... who says cops investigated the incident -- but can't prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Moeller actually attacked his fiancee.
In a statement, the prosecutor says he's convinced an "incident of a volatile nature" took place -- but he doesn't think he has enough to convict Moeller of a crime.
As for Moeller's job with the Browns -- the team says he's still suspended indefinitely.
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Cleveland Browns Coach Fiancee's Dramatic 911 Call 'He Strangled and Beat Me'
TMZ Sports has obtained the 911 call made by the fiancee of Cleveland Browns offensive line coach Andy Moeller ... in which she claims he strangled and beat her ... and it wasn't the first time it happened.
During the call, the woman is clearly distraught and out of breath -- and in the process of fleeing Andy's house, where she had been staying while visiting from Maryland.
She tells the operator, "[Andy] just tried to strangle and beat me. I'm leaving the premises and I gotta get out of here quickly."
During the call, the woman says the two were engaged -- "Not anymore though."
As for what triggered the incident, the woman claims she was talking to her son on the phone when Moeller told her to "shut up" ... and then got violent.
"I kept telling him to stop and not to hurt me."
As we previously reported, cops responded to the scene -- but didn't see any evidence of an injury. Hours later, the woman told officials she no longer wanted to press charges against Moeller.
The case is currently being investigated -- Moeller has not been arrested.
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Cleveland Browns Coach Female Accuser Had No Visible Injuries ... Cops Say
The cops who responded to an alleged assault involving Cleveland Browns offensive line coach Andy Moeller say they observed NO INJURIES on the female accuser ... this according to the police report.
TMZ Sports obtained the docs ... which shows the Berea Police Department got a call from a woman on Saturday night claiming she was assaulted by Moeller.
When cops arrived to the home there were "no initial injuries observed." The woman asked cops to take her to a nearby hotel ... and they obliged.
According to reports, the accuser is a female guest of Moeller's who was visiting from Maryland.
Cops say hours later, the accuser contacted them again and insisted she sustained an injury that was not initially visible -- and said she wanted to pursue charges.
But when cops went back to the hotel to follow up, the woman changed her mind and decided she didn't want to move forward with a case.
The case will be forwarded to the Berea prosecutor for review -- so far, no arrests have been made.
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Johnny Manziel THE MONEY CELEBRATION ... IS DEAD
R.I.P. Johnny Manziel's money celebration ... 'cause the QB says it's officially DEAD TO HIM.
Manziel was speaking to reporters in Cleveland earlier today and said he was officially retiring his trademark move ... saying it's part of a brand new quieter, less trouble-making Manziel.
"Whatever I can do to help quiet the noise that has surrounded this team and surrounded myself, I don’t want that anymore."
And after calling his rookie season a "disaster" ... Johnny added, "The money sign will not be back."
Wonder how Drake feels about it ...
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Ex-NFL Lineman Warns Kyrie Irving ... Don't End Up Like Me!
A former NFL lineman has a STERN WARNING for Kyrie Irving ... don't let the doctors pressure you into coming back early ... or you could wind up with an OBLITERATED KNEE!!!!
The man behind the warning is LeCharles Bentley ... a former 2-time Pro Bowler who played for the Cleveland Browns ... who suffered a pretty major knee injury of his own during his playing days.
As for Kyrie -- the Cavs said he'd been suffering from a "bad case of tendonitis" over the past few weeks and wanted him to play last night. Kyrie's father had reportedly been pushing for Irving to take it easy.
Enter Bentley ... who added his perspective on social media after the game:
"So the doc tells Kyrie it's 'just tendonitis' ... Yea, I tore my patella from having 'just tendonitis'. I tried to 'tough it out'... ."
He then posted a picture of what his knee looks like now -- and said, "Oh, 'it just tendonitis'... I'm out, about to go 'tough out' this leg workout. Could be worse! #Blessed."
Bottom line -- Bentley says, "Athletes better listen to their bodies, not Twitter & Docs."
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Johnny Manziel Rehab Was Great ... I'm a Changed Man
Johnny Manziel says he learned a "tremendous" amount about himself during his stint in rehab -- and says he's ready to prove he's a changed man.
The Cleveland Browns QB just issued a statement ... in which he apologizes for letting down the Browns organization and his fans.
He also says he takes "full responsibility" for his actions -- and though he doesn't get into specifics, he's clearly referring to his highly publicized alcohol fueled benders last season.
He concludes by saying he wants to focus on football -- and wants to be "the best possible player, teammate, and man that [he] can be."
Here's the statement in full ...
"I would like to thank my family, friends, the Browns organization, my teammates, and Browns fans everywhere, for your patience, understanding, and support during my stay at Caron.
The doctors and staff have been amazing and what I’ve learned in the last couple of months has been tremendous. I owe private apologies to a lot of people that I disappointed but a very public one to the Browns organization and the fans that I let down.
I take full responsibility for my actions and it’s my intention to work very hard to regain everyone’s trust and respect. I understand that will take time and will only happen through what I do and not what I say.
I also understand there’s a lot of curiosity about this but anyone who has a friend or family-member that’s been through things like this knows it’s an ongoing process. I’m going to continue to ask folks to try to respect my privacy as I determine to what degree I am comfortable talking about a subject which I consider very personal.
Most of you have been considerate about that and I thank you for it. I look forward to seeing my teammates next week and focusing on football and my desire to be the best possible player, teammate, and man that I can be."
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Johnny Manziel Par for the Course During Rehab Stay
Johnny Manziel took a break from his intensive rehab to hit the links with his family.
Johnny, his dad and sister played the front 9 Saturday at East Ridge Country Club in Shreveport, Louisiana.
People who interacted with the Cleveland Browns QB say he was in good spirits and extremely friendly. Johnny took a pic with Brian Hall, one of the golf pros.
We don't know what he scored but he's a good golfer and has played the course before.
Manziel went into rehab at the end of January after tearing up Hollywood with some hard partying. He's reportedly spending more than 2 months there and could get out as early as next week.
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Method Man Hey, Marcus Mariota Don't Be a Manziel!
Johnny Manziel has become a cautionary tale ... at least according to rap legend Method Man ... who says he hopes Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota won't make the same mistake JM did.
The Wu-Tang Clan co-founder is a huge football fan -- especially when it comes to the Jets -- so we had to ask how he felt about all the crazy moves in the NFL this week.
That's when we brought up Mariota ... and Meth had one big piece of advice for the kid -- FORGET THE STUPID MONEY SIGN!!!
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Jim Brown Praises Johnny Manziel 'Very Wise' to Stay In Rehab
Johnny Manziel is getting some major support from the greatest Brown of them all ... Jim Brown ... who tells TMZ Sports he's proud of the QB for extending his stay in a treatment program.
The Cleveland Browns legend was leaving Craig's in West Hollywood last night when he told us, "I think [Manziel] made a great move to go into therapy ... I'm very happy for him."
FYI -- the Browns recently announced that Manziel has decided to stay in his treatment program beyond the usual 28-day minimum.
"I think it's an advantage," Brown said of Manziel's decision ... "I think it's very wise and I'm glad to see him do that ... so quote me please."
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Johnny Manziel Checks Into Rehab
Johnny Manziel has checked into a treatment center ... this according to multiple members of Manziel's camp.
A rep for the Cleveland Browns issued a statement saying, "Brad Beckworth, friend and advisor to Manziel and his family, has confirmed that Johnny entered treatment on Wednesday."
"Johnny knows there are areas in which he needs to improve in order to be a better family member, friend and teammate and he thought the off-season was the right time to take this step."
"On behalf of Johnny and his family, we’re asking for..privacy until he rejoins the team in Cleveland."
The Browns did not say exactly why Manziel is being treated -- but it seems pretty obvious ... considering his penchant for partying.
Earlier this season, ESPN's Skip Bayless said he'd spoken with several people close to the Browns QB and was convinced Johnny is an alcoholic.
Johnny responded to the criticism by hitting the bar scene -- and after the season, was seen chugging champagne at a hotel pool.
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Stephen A. Smith Fires Back at Josh Gordon ... 'Your Letter's Pathetic'
Stephen A. Smith just UNLOADED on Cleveland Browns receiver Josh Gordon -- saying the letter he directed at Stephen, Charles Barkley and Cris Carter is "pathetic," "small minded" and "ignorant."
As we previously reported, Gordon ripped the media members -- claiming they were out of line for personal comments directed at him in the wake of his NFL and legal troubles. He demanded a retraction.
But Smith just appeared on ESPN Cleveland Radio and tore Gordon (and his letter) apart -- saying, "I'm sad for him. It's pretty pathetic ... the fact of the matter is that it's his actions that got him to this point."
Smith goes on ... "What he's not realizing is that we're not speaking about you as an individual, we're speaking about what you represent" -- a black man who came from poverty and made it to the NFL.
"So for you to be blowing these kind of opportunities not just speaks to you but it speaks to an abundance of individuals out in this world, particularly those from the African-American community that could possibly find themselves in this position but somehow someway blow it."
"That's what we say when we say 'we care' ... when we say we're disgusted with you."
"So the fact that [Josh] took the liberty to write this letter ... just also at the same time heightens your level of ignorance, because you're not getting the big picture."
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Josh Gordon Welcomed Back to Sling Cars ... Again
They say when God closes a door, he opens a window -- and for Josh Gordon, that door is being an NFL star receiver ... but the window is selling Fords in Randolph, Ohio.
Gordon is facing a possible one-year suspension for allegedly failing another drug and alcohol test.
But TMZ Sports has learned he's already got a plan B, if he wants it -- his old job hawking cars and SUVs for Sarchione Auto Group is once again available. If you remember, Gordon worked there in 2014 during his 10 game suspension ... and Senior Sales Associate Mike Sabatine says the dealership would love to have him back.
Despite Josh's repeated troubles with pot and booze -- Sabatine says he never saw Josh drink or smoke, and says the guy he knew busted his ass on the job "just like the rest of us."
Gordon's suspension is not official yet. He can still appeal, but chances are ... he should start brushing up on Ford's 2015 models.
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Johnny Manziel Drinks Thrown at Browns QB ... at Houston Nightclub
Johnny Manziel was attacked with drinks at a Houston nightclub this weekend ... after the Cleveland Browns QB got into it with a group of hecklers ... TMZ Sports has learned.
It all went down at Dekan nightclub in Houston late Sunday night -- Manziel arrived with some friends looking to have a good time when things got chippy.
We spoke with J.R. from Sticky Promotions -- who was with Johnny that night -- and he tells us people were shouting at Manziel and aggressively trying to take pics.
At one point, a frustrated Manziel flipped off one of the hecklers -- and that's when J.R. says the drinks started to fly.
"I ducked and I looked at Johnny and we grabbed security and they ran us out of there," J.R. says.
We're told Johnny and some members of his crew were splashed with drinks -- so they went back to their hotel room to change.
J.R. says he spoke with club security -- who told him the drink-throwers were booted from the joint -- so Johnny and his posse decided to return to the club.
Once they got back inside -- with Manziel wearing a new shirt -- we're told Johnny partied without incident for the rest of the night and had a great time.
We spoke to Houston PD -- and we're told cops were never contacted about the incident.
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Johnny Manziel Chuggin' Champagne ... During Miami Getaway
Johnny Manziel clearly does not think he's got a drinking problem ... 'cause the Cleveland Browns QB was chugging champagne right from the bottle in Miami on Wednesday.
Manziel and his girlfriend Colleen Crowley were sitting poolside at a Miami hotel ... sippin' away under the sun on Veuve Clicquot Rose'.
At one point, someone handed Johnny what appears to be a mixed drink -- and he took that down too.
Interesting move ... considering he's been under fire for reportedly missing an official team treatment session following a night of hard-partying.
In fact, ESPN's Skip Bayless went on the air and said he's convinced Manziel is an alcoholic after speaking with several people in the Browns organization.
Clearly, Johnny isn't fazed.