Cleveland Browns expecting NFL to get involved in Manziel incident

Oct 18, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel (2) warms up before the game between the Cleveland Browns and the Denver Broncos at FirstEnergy Stadium. (Ken Blaze/USA Today Sports)

Oct 18, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel warms up before the game against the Denver Broncos at FirstEnergy Stadium. (James Lang/USA Today Sports)

Oct 11, 2015; Baltimore, MD, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel (2) checks his phone during warms up before a game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory (Mitch Stringer/USA Today Sports)

Oct 11, 2015; Baltimore, MD, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel (2) drops back to pass before the game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. (Tommy Gilligan/USA Today Sports)

BEREA, Ohio — Johnny Manziel, praised for months for being a changed man after spending 70 days in rehab over the winter, was stopped by police in a traffic incident last week and now faces discipline from the Cleveland Browns and possibly the NFL.

Manziel was arguing with his girlfriend, Colleen Crowley, who accused him of hitting her “a couple times.”

Manziel admitted to drinking, but the police determined he was not intoxicated. No charges were filed, but the incident is a concern to the Browns because partying last year is what led Manziel to check himself into the rehab unit in Pennsylvania in late January.

Coach Mike Pettine expects the league to get involved, and Manziel could face possible suspension for personal conduct violations.

“The league gets involved when there are cases like this,” Pettine said on Monday. “I don’t know what their timetable is. I don’t know the specifics, but as with anything that comes up, there’s a reporting process you go through. I’m not privy to what their details are as far as timetable.”

When the Oct. 12 traffic stop was made public on Oct. 16, Browns general manager Ray Farmer issued the standard, “We’re aware of the situation. We take it seriously. We have no other comment at this time” statement.

Pettine on Monday would not reveal what if any punishment the Browns plan for Manziel. The Browns made him part of the active roster for the game against the Denver Broncos on Sunday, but Pettine said that should not be interpreted to mean the Browns are dismissing the incident.

“There’s accountability,” Pettine said. “Some accountability is public, some of it’s private. If you think that we’re just turning a cheek to this and ignoring it, you’d be dead wrong.”

Manziel used Twitter to downplay the incident.

“Colleen and I got into a dumb public argument on the way home Monday (Oct. 12) afternoon,” Manziel tweeted. “It probably looked more interesting than it was and I know I would stop and check if I saw a couple arguing on the side of the road. It was embarrassing but not serious.

“When we talked to the police and they realized everything was alright and I was sober, we went home together and everything is fine.”