Cleveland Browns coach says Johnny Manziel will have fair shot at starting job

Johnny Manziel participated in rookie minicamp last weekend, his first on-field football activity as a Brown. (David Maxwell/Getty Images)

While Brian Hoyer seemed to have the Cleveland Browns on the right path prior to his season-ending injury, any quarterback being backed up by Johnny Manziel was doomed to feel the heat all summer long, no matter which team drafted the former Heisman Trophy winner.

That's the scenario Hoyer faces as he enters a training camp battle with Manziel, who will be given a fair shot to win the starting job, according to Browns head coach Mike Pettine.

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"I don't know if they're going to be sending each other Christmas cards anytime soon,'' Pettine said of Hoyer and Manziel on Tuesday, according to Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot. "But they know they're both in it together and they're going to compete and I think they both feel comfortable that as a staff we're going to put the best quarterback (out there) that puts us in position to win games.''

While nobody is rooting against Hoyer, the circus surrounding Manziel will intensify at the first sign of struggle for Hoyer as fans and pundits clamor for the rookie to take the reins of the offense.

Despite the competition, Hoyer has reportedly played the role of mentor so far and worked with Manziel, who says there is no friction between the two.