Browns announce Brian Hoyer will start Week 1 vs. Steelers

The quarterback controversy in Cleveland is over. At least for now.

The Browns announced Wednesday morning that Brian Hoyer will be under center when the team kicks off their season against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 7.

Head coach Mike Pettine had no choice but to go with Hoyer given Johnny Manziel's lackluster performance Monday night against the Washington Redskins, however, it's important to note that there is no guaranteed starter beyond Week 1. The likelihood of Manziel sitting on the bench for a significant amount of time is slim, unless Hoyer manages to become the second coming of Joe Montana.

Sheltering Manziel for the first few games of the season seems like a wise move when looking at the Browns' schedule. After battling the Steelers, Cleveland meets the New Orleans Saints and Baltimore Ravens before its bye. 

Those are three defenses that can all get after the quarterback, and Steelers defense coordinator Dick LeBeau has a history of making life miserable for rookie pivots. 

Even with Hoyer, the Browns could very easily be 0-3 or 1-2 out the gate, leaving Pettine with another tough decision on who to start after the bye week.

Giving Manziel the chance to watch a handful of games could prove beneficial for the youngster. And it will be interesting to see if Johnny Football performs better in his next preseason outing without the pressure of a quarterback competition.