Even with LeBron James back in town, Johnny Manziel remains the most polarizing figure in Cleveland.
Manziel exited a long rehab stint for an undisclosed issue Saturday and his commitment to self-improvement won the former Heisman Trophy winner the renewed support of his Cleveland Browns teammates.
Left tackle Joe Thomas said earlier that Manziel lost the trust of his teammates last season and he provided a somewhat amended version of his comments Tuesday at the Browns' new uniform unveiling ceremony.
"I don't know if I said he lost my trust, but I think it will be important for him when he comes back to prove to the team, to everybody in the organization that football is the most important thing in his life and he is willing to commit to it and make it the most important thing in his life," Thomas said Tuesday to Mary Kay Cabot of the Northeast Ohio Media Group.
Thomas did commend Manziel for entering rehab, however.
"I think he's set himself up really nicely by the steps he's taken already to prove that he can be the guy. Right now it's kind of the start of the process. What you do on Sundays is what you're judged by in this game."
Safety Donte Whitner agreed that Manziel may have lost the trust of the team, but offered a more emphatic response in the mercurial sophomore's favor.
"Nobody knew the actual things that were going on in his life except him and his family, so I commend him. To be so young and take that initiative and do what he did, it can only help him as a person, first and foremost, and then, as a football player," Whitner said.
"I believe that he'll come in, he'll earn our trust back. He's that type of guy. He'll have to compete for his job, but I believe he'll be up for that challenge. We'll welcome him back with open arms."
Manziel, along with Josh McCown, Thad Lewis and Connor Shaw will compete for the Browns' starting job. Once viewed as the quarterback of the Browns' future, Manziel will once again have every opportunity to prove that he can lead the team out of the AFC North basement.
