Browns quarterback Josh McCown suffered a season-ending broken collarbone Monday night in a 33-27 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, leaving Austin Davis or Johnny Manziel to start this weekend.
“Worst-possible scenario for Josh,” coach Mike Pettine said Tuesday during a conference call. “He will miss the remainder of the season with a fracture to his collarbone. It was not displaced, so he does not need to have surgery. But it will take more than the rest of the season to get it healed up. That’s very unfortunate. Josh means a lot to this team.”
Pettine said he was not ready to name a starting quarterback for Sunday, when the Browns (2-9) will host the Cincinnati Bengals (9-2). He will choose between Davis and Manziel after a series of meetings with other members of the franchise.
“We’re going to discuss it more, determine our best course of action moving forward,” Pettine said. “We’re going to take everything into consideration and then make the decision for this week that’s best for the team.”
McCown started on Monday Night Football because Pettine demoted Manziel from starter to third string for his off-field behavior during a recent bye-week break. Manziel, the 22nd overall pick in last year’s draft, partied during the brief vacation, then lied to the Browns after a video showing him singing, dancing and holding a large bottle at a nightclub appeared online.
Pettine was asked if forcing Manziel to sit Monday night was enough discipline for his actions.
“I gather the opinions of others. I certainly have my own that I’ll keep private at this point,” Pettine said.
Pettine added he’ll make the final decision on how to proceed at quarterback, not the front office.
Davis was named McCown’s primary backup as a result of Manziel’s punishment, so Davis replaced McCown after he left the game with 8:29 left in the fourth quarter.
McCown absorbed a shot from defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan as he threw a long, incomplete pass intended for wide receiver Travis Benjamin with 2:20 left in the third quarter. He was shaken up after the play, prompting Davis to warm up on the sideline.
McCown re-entered the game as soon as the Browns got the ball back, but he ultimately couldn’t continue. He threw two passes without being hit and left the game in obvious pain. He finished 21-of-38 passing for 212 yards and a touchdown without an interception for a rating of 80.2.
McCown, 36, left FirstEnergy Stadium with his right arm in a sling. He had missed the previous two games with injured ribs, and Manziel, 22, started in his place.
“Probably one of the toughest guys I’ve ever played with,” Davis said of McCown after the game. “You pretty much have to drag him off the field. His arm was falling off, and he went back out there to keep fighting and keep playing.”
McCown played better this season than his 1-7 record as a starter suggests. The Browns signed the veteran journeyman to a three-year, $14 million contract in February to stabilize the position with Manziel in the midst of a 10-week offseason stay in an inpatient rehabilitation facility specializing in alcohol and drug addiction treatment. McCown didn’t disappoint, completing 63.7 percent of his passes with 12 touchdowns, four interceptions and a rating of 93.3.
With two years left on McCown’s contract, the Browns could continue to use him as a bridge starter next season.
“Whether it was in the locker room, practice field, game day, just the positive energy that he exuded, the leadership, I just cannot say enough positive things about Josh McCown and what he’s done for this football team and what he means to this football team,” Pettine said.
In his first appearance with the Browns, Davis finished 7-of-10 passing for 77 yards and a touchdown with a rating of 125.8. His 42-yard touchdown pass to Benjamin tied the score 27-27 with 1:47 left. He also helped the Browns move into position for Travis Coons’ 51-yard field-goal attempt, which was blocked by defensive end Brett Urban and returned 64 yards by safety Will Hill for the game-winning touchdown with no time left.
After the game, teammates gave positive reviews when asked about Davis, 26, signed by the Browns on Sept. 7 after going 3-5 in eight games as a starter for the St. Louis Rams last season while filling in for Sam Bradford. On Sept. 30, the Browns signed Davis to a two-year contract extension through 2017.
“Really good job by him,” center Alex Mack said. “Tough for a two-minute drive, made a couple plays, was able to come in on very short notice. Commendable to him to pay attention to the game plan and when his number was called, answering it.”
If Pettine were to pick Davis, he would become the 24th quarterback to start for the Browns since 1999.
Manziel had the best game of his career Nov. 15 when he threw for 372 yards in a 30-9 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He’s 1-4 as an NFL starter, including 1-2 this season. He has completed 59.4 percent of his passes this year with five touchdowns, two interceptions and a rating of 88.4.
No matter who starts, the Browns might seek depth at the position for the final five games. Pettine said acquiring a third quarterback is “on the table for discussion.”
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Browns blog at www.ohio.com/browns. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NateUlrichABJ and on Facebook www.facebook.com/abj.sports.