BEREA, Ohio - Browns head coach Mike Pettine has announced Johnny Manziel will start at quarterback for the team when they host Cincinnati Sunday.
It will be the first-career start for Manziel, selected by the Browns in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft.
The team informed Manziel and former starter Brian Hoyer of their decision early Tuesday morning.
Pettine indicated in his Monday meeting with reporters that a change at the position was likely following Hoyer's performance in Cleveland's last-second loss to the Colts Sunday.
Hoyer, a Cleveland native, went 14-of-31 for 140 yards and two interceptions in that contest but was not replaced.
"When you go back and watch the tape, there are clearly some throws that he missed," Pettine said Monday of Hoyer's play against the Colts, "but I think it was also exaggerated by how poorly we were in the pass game around him. That's difficult. The quarterback is only as good as his supporting cast, so when the guys around him play well, Brian will play well."
Hoyer was 2-0 against the Bengals in his career, including a 24-3 decision in a Thursday night meeting Nov. 6th at Paul Brown Stadium.
He started the Browns' first 13 games, though has thrown only one touchdown to 7 interceptions in the team's last four outings.
Cleveland only scored that single touchdown in the team's last 29 offensive possessions with Hoyer under center as the Browns until recently have been in playoff contention in the AFC North.
Manziel entered the fourth quarter of Cleveland's 26-10 defeat at Buffalo two Sundays ago in relief of Hoyer after the starter threw two interceptions. He led two drives, the first resulting in his first professional touchdown.
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