Marvin Lewis mocks Johnny Manziel

— -- Marvin Lewis considers the possibility of facing a Johnny Manziel-led Cleveland Browns team this week as only a small concern, as the Cincinnati Bengals coach referred to the rookie quarterback as a "midget" on Monday.

With the Browns (7-6) potentially going away from incumbent starter Brian Hoyer, WLW-AM in Cincinnati asked Lewis how his first-place Bengals (8-4-1) would handle the possibility of facing Johnny Football.

"You gotta go defend the offense. You don't defend the player," Lewis said before adding, "Particularly a midget."

Lewis later apologized for his remark.

"I apologize to Johnny, the Browns and all the fans in Cleveland," Lewis said. "It was just a poor remark. I really didn't mean anything by it."

While the jab was clearly in jest when referencing Manziel, who is listed as 6-feet tall, Lewis' joke may add fuel to the intrastate rivalry between the AFC North foes when they face off Sunday at 1 p.m. in Cleveland.