Cleveland Browns

Johnny Manziel hasn't lost the support of his teammates ... so says a Cleveland Browns player who tells TMZ Sports, "most guys on this team want him to be the one leading us next year."

The player -- who spoke to us on the condition of anonymity -- says everyone knows Johnny made mistakes ... but most teammates are chalking it up to immaturity.

"He's still learning, He's still a rookie. He needs more time to figure out life at the next level."

The player adds, "Johnny hasn't been a bad teammate" ... and several Browns believe JM's screw-ups have been blown out of proportion by the media because he's so famous.

"He has to live his life. As long as next year we compete for the playoffs, guys in this locker room will support him in his maturation process."

Multiple independent witnesses tell TMZ Sports ... they each spotted Johnny Manziel partying well past midnight at a Cleveland bar on Friday ... just hours before he missed a team treatment session.

Our sources -- and they're pretty solid -- all say Manziel was hanging out and drinking at Barley House in Cleveland with a small party (3 to 4 other people) and didn't leave until 1:30 AM on Saturday morning.

We're told ... Johnny's group was seated in a "secluded VIP-kind of area" ... and sipped on vodka and champagne -- racking up a bill close to $1,000.

One source snapped a photo ... and though it's not the greatest quality ... it sure does look a lot like Johnny Football. The meta-data on the pic says it was shot at 1:21 AM on Saturday morning.

Manziel spoke to the media on Monday and denied reports that he "threw a party" that night -- but it seems like the 22-year-old is just arguing semantics at this point.

ESPN star Skip Bayless just unloaded on Johnny Manziel ... claiming he's spoken with several people close to the Browns QB and he is convinced Johnny is an alcoholic and a liar.

Bayless made the comments on "First Take" -- telling Stephen A. Smith he's spoken with many people "in and around the Cleveland Browns" organization and is convinced the 22-year-old has a serious drinking problem.

Skip's comments come in the wake of media reports that Johnny skipped a team treatment session on Saturday following a raging party on Friday night.

Bayless expanded ... saying, "I believe that even [Johnny's] parents are fed up to the point that they believe he needs to get some help."

Skip says his sources have told him Johnny has been lying to team executives, coaches and teammates -- and they're sick of it.

Cleveland Browns linebacker Zac Diles is officially in the fashion game -- and his company is selling an Italian cashmere baseball cap ... FOR $1,200 EACH!!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... Diles is a part owner of Melin ... a company that specializes in high-end designer headwear.

The company uses everything from antique metals to genuine pony hair to pimp out their products -- with the top item, the $1,200 hat, boasting real ostrich leather.

We spoke with Diles who tells us ... his teammates have been incredibly supportive -- with guys like Johnny Manziel, Joe Haden and Donte Whitner rockin' various items.

"It's always great to see guys in the locker room supporting."

The Heisman Fraternity always sticks together ... mostly ... so says football legend Archie Griffin who tells TMZ Sports there's a good reason he hopes Johnny Manziel racks up a big "L" this weekend.

The 2-time Heisman Trophy winner (the only man to ever win twice) was out in NYC yesterday -- and while he wouldn't reveal his favorite for this year's statue, he says all 3 finalists belong at the ceremony.

But when we started talking about Johnny Football -- who won the Heisman during his freshman season at Texas A&M -- Griffin reminded us why he'll be rooting for the other team.

Fox Sports insider Jay Glazer is FURIOUS with ESPN -- telling TMZ Sports why he believes the network "stole" his exclusive story about Johnny Manziel.

Glazer's beef is all over his report about Manziel getting the starting QB job in Cleveland -- news Jay says he BROKE on Dec. 9th.

Glazer claims ESPN posted the same exact story AFTER he put it up ... but didn't give him credit. Instead, J.G. says the network based the story on unnamed "sources."

When we saw Jay at The Grove in L.A. yesterday, he explained that he's pissed because breaking exclusive stories isn't a hobby, it's his job -- "That's how I provide for my kid."

"In life, you don't steal," Glazer says ... "don't be a thief."

They're still in the playoff race (technically), so Cleveland Browns fans need to QUIT THEIR BITCHIN' about the QB situation ... so says Billy Bob Thornton.

Billy Bob -- a huge Colts fan -- was leaving LAX yesterday after Indianapolis beat up on the Brownies ... when we asked if it was time to swap out Hoyer for Johnny Manziel.

Thornton essentially told us to RELAX when it comes to Johnny Football -- "He'll get in there one of these days."

But the best part ... "If I was a Browns fan and I had the record they have right now, I'd just be happy. you know? They're doing OK."

Several Cleveland Browns superstars rallied around their teammate Joe Haden to help him open his new sneaker shop -- from Josh Gordon to Johnny Manziel ... and TMZ Sports has the pics.

As we previously reported, Haden opened "The Restock" in Cleveland last weekend ... a store that specializes in rare sneakers.

A bunch of the Browns showed up when Joe opened the doors ... including Josh Gordon, Donte Whitner and Andrew Hawkins. Cleveland Cavs star Tristan Thompson was also on hand.

And we're told the guys weren't just there to browse -- Josh picked up 3 pairs of Jordans ... so did Tristan Thompson. Hawkins ponied up for a pair of Balenciagas ... which ain't cheap.

Other Browns teammates donated signed jerseys to help decorate the store -- including Johnny Manziel, Brian Hoyer, Phil Taylor and more.

Apparently, LeBron and Drake didn't campaign hard enough ... because Johnny Manziel will NOT start for the Cleveland Browns this weekend ... so says Jay Glazer.

The "NFL on Fox" star says, "The Manziel Era is NOT beginning in Cleveland yet as Brian Hoyer has been informed he will start this weekend vs Indy."

LeBron had told the media his friend Manziel was "ready" to take over if called upon. And after his eyebrow-raising performance last week, it seemed Johnny time was gonna get the nod -- including Drake who flashed the money sign to support his BFF.

Guess he'll just have to wait.

Glazer adds, "Hoyer had widespread support inside the locker room. No brainer according to players in there."

Drake wants Johnny Manziel to start in Cleveland this weekend.

How do we know? He told us ... with his hands.

The rapper was leaving Hakkasan restaurant in Beverly Hills Monday when we asked about the QB controversy in Cleveland -- Manziel or Hoyer?

Drake flashed the money sign. Duh.

Of course, Cleveland Browns head coach Mike Pettine says he won't announce the starters until later this week ... but it feels like Manziel's got the edge ... especially with LeBron telling the media he's "ready to go."

The man who claims he was attacked by Johnny Manziel and his "entourage" last week says he's still in pain from the alleged hotel beatdown ... and says he's got pics to prove it.

TMZ Sports spoke with Chris Gonos ... who claims his left elbow was jacked up by Johnny's crew during a fight at The 9 hotel in Cleveland late Friday night.

Gonos says the picture shows severe swelling and a nasty bruise -- but claims he also suffered a swollen lip and and injuries to his eye.

Gonos says he's not sure who hit him -- but he's confident the assailant was part of Johnny's crew.

Police are investigating the incident ... but so far, no arrests have been made.

As for Johnny, he tells a very different story ... saying he was "accosted by a very aggressive man and his associates" at the hotel that night.

Johnny Manziel is painting a completely different picture of the alleged fight that he was involved in over the weekend ... instead claiming he was the victim of an aggressive fan.

Manziel who is being accused of taking part in the beatdown of a fan who claims he was just trying to shake his hand -- said through his agent on Monday that there was no "entourage" with Manziel on the night in question.

Instead, Manziel -- through his agent, Erik Burkhardt -- claims he and his roommate were returning from dinner with Johnny's mom when they were "accosted by a very aggressive man and his associates."

Manziel claims he let Browns management know about the incident "immediately."

The accuser, Chris Gonos, previously told TMZ Sports he was simply trying to shake Manziel's hand when Johnny Football's entourage jumped him.

Cleveland Browns superstar Joe Haden is such a huge sneakerhead -- HE JUST BOUGHT AN ENTIRE STORE ... and TMZ Sports has learned he's having a massive grand opening party on Black Friday!

Here's what we know ... Haden has been wanting to get into the shoe biz for a while -- and bought out an existing sneaker shop in downtown Cleveland, which he renamed "The Restock."

We spoke to Joe's business partner David Damier, who tells us ... "It's a consignment-based store. We specialize in offering shoes that you can no longer find in stores. Rare shoes are our specialty."

Doors open on Black Friday -- and David says Joe will definitely be on hand to celebrate ... even though the Browns have a game in Atlanta that weekend.

"They don't fly out until Saturday, so Joe will definitely be there. There will be a bunch of athletes there."

No word if Haden will be selling anything from his personal collection -- which is stocked with some of the most sought-after sneakers ever made ... including Air Yeezys, South Beach LeBrons, Corks, and some ultra-rare Air Jordan VIIs.

Josh Gordon's 10-week stint at an Ohio car dealership was NO JOKE ... the guy worked his ass off and was a big part in several car sales ... multiple employees tell TMZ Sports.

The Cleveland Browns wide receiver has been reinstated -- and is officially back with the team -- which means he will no longer be working with the sales team at Sarchione Auto Group in Ohio.

It seemed like the gig was a joke at first ... but we're told Gordon took the job seriously and treated the whole thing like a very serious apprenticeship.

"He was totally into it," one employee tells us ... "He was very patient with customers. He answered their questions. Josh knows a lot about cars."

We're told Josh often shadowed one of the owners -- spending most of his time at the Chevrolet dealership -- and showed real potential when it came to working in the car biz.

"He was working a full schedule. 8AM to 8PM Mondays and Thursdays ... 8AM to 6PM on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. He also worked 8-3 on Saturdays."

We're told several of Gordon's teammates visited the WR on the lot -- unclear if any of them actually bought a car.

But get this ... Cleveland Cavs player Mike Miller leased a car from the dealership ... and we're told Gordon had a lot to do with the sale.

Johnny Manziel's career might be in idle ... but his super hot GF is crushing it -- scoring a modeling gig with a clothing company ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Colleen Crowley just inked a deal with a brand called No Rulez NY -- which makes hats, shirts, sweaters, etc. -- and she's already knocked out a photo sesh featuring some of the items.

The man behind the company is 19-year-old Brian Wolfe -- who says he met Crowley through a mutual friend earlier this year and thought she'd be a perfect fit for the brand.

So far, the decision to sign Crowley is already paying off ... with not only Manziel sporting the gear, but Browns teammate Donte Whitner has also been seen rockin' the clothing out in public.

Wolfe says he does not have a deal with Manziel but hopes he can work out a deal with 35 in the future -- "I’m such a fan. He’s such a motivator for kids to make it and become successful. It would be an honor if he’d endorse it."

****** WARNING: EXPLICIT LANGUAGE ******

Johnny Manziel went on a cursing rant on an NBA referee during LeBron James' homecoming game in Cleveland last night ... and his rage was captured on video.

Johnny Football was pissed off after what he clearly felt was a BAD call, and repeatedly yelled -- from his courtside seat -- "Bulls**t" and "F**k" ... for a solid minute.