Johnny Manziel is well aware that his NFL career hasn't exactly gone as planned thus far, but he's hoping that Cleveland Browns fans will still have faith in him to make the most of his once limitless potential.
Speaking to the media following Sunday's loss to the St. Louis Rams, in which he saw some fourth-quarter action after an injury to Josh McCown, the polarizing young quarterback expressed a desire to earn his role with the team going forward.
"I hope I still have some love in the city of Cleveland,'' Manziel said, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. "I hope people haven't given up on me.
"I'm trying to do the right things on the field, just trying to keep my head down and just keep plugging and keep pushing and keep trying to gain back what I felt I lost last year in a rough rookie season. That's all I'm really doing right now ... making the most of my opportunities when I do get in there.''
Sunday marked the third time this season that Manziel's made his way onto the field, including a Week 2 start in which he led Cleveland to an impressive win over the Tennessee Titans.
Despite the clear improvements made after a disastrous rookie season, now having thrown for 381 yards and three touchdowns in his limited reps, the Browns still appear committed to McCown as their offensive leader.
While that should continue to be the case should McCown's injury not prove significant, it would be no surprise to see Manziel get an opportunity for consistent playing time if the Browns' struggles carry over into the second half of the year.
According to Cabot's report, the NFL has set up an interview with Manziel to address his Oct. 12 domestic incident.
The quarterback declined to confirm that there had indeed been a meeting scheduled, but he indicated that he'd continue to cooperate with anything and everything asked of him as the league carries out its investigation.
