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Farmer’s message on texts: My bad
INDIANAPOLIS — Cleveland Browns general manager Ray Farmer said there is no relationship mending to be done with head coach Mike Pettine.
“We’re moving full steam ahead,” Farmer said Thursday at the NFL Scouting Combine of the ongoing NFL investigation into his in-game texting to coaches which violated league rules. “It’s not an excuse … but sometimes emotions get the best of you.”
Farmer said the organization is healthy. He said he has a great relationship with Pettine, who said Wednesday the team has collectively put the incident behind them.
Owner Jimmy Haslam offered public support to Farmer, who said it was good for him to hear Haslam’s words.
The front office has made changes and adjustments to evaluating players after a season in which wide receiver Josh Gordon was suspended 10 games, then benched for conduct and then drew another season-long ban at the outset of the offseason within days of quarterback Johnny Manziel entering a rehab facility.
Pettine said Wednesday he felt Manziel’s issues were deeper than the Browns knew when he was drafted in the first round in 2014. Farmer “graciously bowed out” of answering any medical questions.
“Whatever they uncover with Johnny is what they’re working on,” Farmer said. “We understood what they call red flags … we knew what those were.”
The Browns will look at every position, including quarterback. The team has not met with unrestricted free agent Brian Hoyer, who opened last season as the starting quarterback. The Browns have two first-round picks — No. 12 and 19 — but Farmer claims all options remain on the table, including Manziel and Hoyer taking the team’s first snap in 2015.
“I look at the quarterback situation as the Browns look at the quarterback situation. Coach Pettine has expressed he would like a starter,” Farmer said. “It’s simply about finding the guy with the right skill set. … What that name is, I would be remiss to say it up here at this podium. There are names. There is a plan.”
Farmer opened his press conference with an admission and an apology. He said the “mistake” was humbling. Farmer said his wife shared with him a line about overcoming a loss from a book she is reading that helped him put the texting controversy in perspective.
Farmer said nobody asked him anything, he was not replying to any text messages, and takes full responsibility for sending in-game texts.
“I would like to extend an apology to the Cleveland Browns fans,” Farmer said. “It was me. I have apologized to everybody in the building. I take full responsibility for myself and my actions. The things that I’ve learned from that is there is a platform to have those things talked about and discussed. I misplayed that platform. I apologize to Jimmy Haslam, our fans and our football team.”
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