Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel didn’t add fuel to the fire when asked about Shedeur Sanders’ unusual response to being passed over for the starting job. Instead, he delivered a clear message about unity.
The Browns named Gabriel their starter this week, moving on from 40-year-old Joe Flacco after a 1-3 start. But the spotlight quickly shifted to Sanders, who stirred controversy by silently mouthing his answers while speaking to reporters. The gesture was widely criticized and seen as inappropriate for a rookie listed as the team’s No. 3 quarterback.
Sanders’ mime act came after former NFL coach and ESPN analyst Rex Ryan said the former Colorado star needed to stop “running his mouth.”
When Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot asked Gabriel about the display, the rookie kept his answer brief but pointed.
“For me, we’re a team. We do this as a unit,” Gabriel said. “We can only control what we can control. I don’t want to speak for anyone in particular.”
Browns QB Dillon Gabriel Took Potential Shot at Shedeur Sanders
Some fans are convinced that Gabriel took a shot at Sanders after being named the starter. He used the phrase “perfect time,” which some saw as a reference to Sanders’ viral rap song, “Perfect Timing.”
“You wait for the perfect time, you’re going to wait a whole lifetime,” Gabriel said on Wednesday. “So, for me, I’ve always been ready for every moment.”
The Browns are hoping that Gabriel can steady the ship on offense and get the unit back on track. Cleveland is averaging just 14 points per game and has struggled to produce explosive plays.
“From the beginning, it’s the moment you look forward to as a competitor,” Gabriel said. “But it’s part of my job to be ready – to be that sense of hope for everyone to continue to be better, and come together, and create momentum for each other. So, excited for that, but just also extremely focused at doing my job at a high level.”
The Wait Continues for Browns QB Shedeur Sanders
Sanders was not promoted to the backup spot when the Browns named Gabriel the starter. Flacco will hold down that role. Sanders will be the emergency quarterback, inactive on game day and only able to enter if both Gabriel and Flacco are injured.
Sanders has faced an uphill battle since being drafted in the fifth round by the Browns. However, there’s still a chance he sees the field this season.
There are a lot of things inside the Browns building that they like about Shedeur Sanders. His innate feel in a football game, they like his ability, they like how cool he is under pressure,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said on Thursday. “It just doesn’t seem, as of right now, that he’s ready to be a starting quarterback, which is okay. That was what they believed when they drafted him. That’s why he went in the fifth round. Will we get a look at him later in the season? It does sound like we probably will.”
The Browns are in London for their Week 5 clash with the Minnesota Vikings.
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