Browns' Thomas 'super excited' over Hue Jackson hiring

Cleveland Browns left tackle Joe Thomas sounded like a player yearning for a fresh start at the end of the 2015 season, but the team's new coaching regime may have swayed him to stay put.

Thomas raved about new head coach Hue Jackson while speaking with reporters at the Cleveland Home & Garden Show on Thursday, calling his hiring "a huge coup."

"When we were going through the coaching search, he was the No. 1 guy that I was hoping we'd hire," Thomas said, via ESPN's Pat McManamon.

Asked if he was all-in with the newest new regime, Thomas replied, "Yeah, I'm super excited about Hue."

Those comments are a stark contrast to what Thomas said after the season finale, when he hinted he may ask to be traded depending on who was hired.

Thomas also spoke about teammate Johnny Manziel, who's being investigated by Dallas police for domestic assault allegations made by his ex-girlfriend.

"It's just a sad turn of events right now," Thomas said. "It's hard to really say too much about allegations because plenty of innocent people get accused of things all the time. So you don't really know exactly what happened and obviously I wasn't there so I don't have a first-hand experience to go off of.

"Whatever he's dealing with I hope that he's able to get that under control and get things straightened out. Hopefully if football is important to him be able to put everything he has in his life into football. I hope that he has success with that.

"But obviously the other things that are going on in his life are more important right now. Because he needs to get those things solved and straightened out before he wants to make a comeback in football."