Josh Peter

USA TODAY Sports

Bernie Kosar has reached out to Johnny Manziel in hopes of talking to the troubled Cleveland Browns quarterback.

One problem: Manziel hasn’t returned the messages.

“I’m embarrassed to even tell you how many times I tried," Kosar, the beloved former Browns quarterback, told USA TODAY Sports on Tuesday. “I have tried to call him directly 18 different ways. If he chooses not to talk to me, that’s his choice.

“I’m not mad at him. But there’s a point where there’s an element of respect that’s involved."

Kosar said he thinks excessive partying could lead Manziel, 23, to squander his NFL career.

“That’s definitely a possibility,’’ said Kosar, 52, who played for the Browns from 1985 to 1993 and is the team’s second all-time leading passer. “I’m not saying he doesn’t have a chance to change, but that’s a possibility."

Manziel, who spent more than 10 weeks in rehab last spring for an undisclosed substance abuse problem, has acknowledged drinking alcohol since. And when Manziel lied to team officials about a drinking episode during the season, he was demoted to third string.

Where�s Johnny? Concern grows for Manziel

More recently, he drew scrutiny for being in Las Vegas on the Saturday before the team’s regular-season finale and skipping the game and a mandatory concussion evaluation the next day. Kosar said he was perplexed about Manziel missing the game, even though Manziel was inactive because he was in the league’s concussion protocol.

“I can’t comprehend him not wanting to be" at the game, Kosar said, “because maybe he’ll pick something up, maybe he’ll get the intensity of it, maybe he’ll learn a trick play, maybe he’ll see what you’re going to have to do hopefully next year and show your commitment to the team."

If he could talk to Manziel, Kosar said he would share advice he got from Howard Schnellenberger, Kosar’s coach when he played at the University of Miami. Kosar said Schnellenberger stressed the importance of a quarterback’s behavior.

“If you are not doing the right thing, you can’t expect the rest of the team to," Kosar recalled Schnellenberger saying. “That advice has always stuck with me, and I would love to tell Johnny that. He could use it."

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