Johnny Manziel made the best decision of his career by entering rehab

Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel reportedly entered rehab on Wednesday - and it's the best decision he's made in his young NFL career. 

The Browns quarterback appeared to be careening off the rails, with teammates and team personnel alike criticizing the 22-year-old for his lack of commitment to success.

If Manziel takes his rehab seriously, he will be making the first step towards re-shaping his image. The former Heisman Trophy recipient quickly learned that prodigious talent alone doesn't make a successful NFL quarterback.

His on-field problems can be fixed. Manziel displayed a propensity to wait far too long in the pocket for plays to develop, with speedy, nuanced defenses collapsing on him quickly. 

His off-field problems can be fixed, too. 

Without question, there will be some people who will view Manziel's rehab entry as a tacit admission of weakness. 

There's nothing wrong with that. 

Manziel's decision to enter rehab should be embraced as a sign that NFL players - superhuman as they may appear - are fallible human beings deserving of empathy and support. 

General managers and personnel staff may be wary of Manziel, viewing him as a high-risk, high-reward proposition. Or, maybe, just as an outright risk. 

However, Manziel's glaring flaw has always been his immaturity. By going to rehab, this isn't just the latest act in the infantile 'Johnny Football' saga. It's a cry for help - a move that indicates that he's invested in becoming a man that can be the leader of a successful NFL franchise. 

With the NFL purportedly working towards combating mental health and substance abuse issues, it's time for us collectively to stop stigmatizing Manziel and wish the best for the mercurial quarterback.

This may be the first step of the revitalization of Manziel's promising career.