Dillon Gabriel's recent remarks may have stirred up some outside noise, but fellow Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders insists it's nothing to worry about.
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Sanders spoke Thursday about Gabriel's viral comments in which the former Oregon standout referred to "entertainers." Some on social media interpreted that as a shot at Sanders, but Gabriel has since clarified he was talking about the media. Sanders said the two quickly cleared the air.
"It is what it is," Sanders told reporters. "I spoke with him, he said, nah, that it wasn't... He told me on the plane, he came up, he was like, 'nah, bro, that wasn't that. Y'all see how they trying to spin it.' I'm like, 'all right, I'm not tripping.' Regardless of whatever it was, I don't. Nobody's words or anything affects me."
When pressed on whether he believed Gabriel, Sanders didn't flinch.
Browns QB Shedeur Sanders said fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel approached him on the plane last week to tell him the entertainers-and-competitors quote was not about him. Sanders’ comments on the whole ordeal. pic.twitter.com/BjHIiUbBxU
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) August 21, 2025
"Did I believe him? I mean, I feel like you're trying to start stuff," he said. "He's doing his job. He's supposed to. I feel like [Gabriel] did. I don't know. And that's not on me to sit here and be like, 'oh, he did. He did it.' That's not gonna change my life in any way."
Gabriel, Sanders, Kenny Pickett, and Tyler Huntley are all competing behind Joe Flacco, who was named the Browns' Week 1 starter against the Cincinnati Bengals. The competition remains crowded, but Sanders made it clear that whatever chatter happens outside of the field isn't going to rattle him.
This kind of leads me to believe Shedeur Sanders thinks Dillon Gabriel’s comments were directed at him. His exact words were “I don’t know.” https://t.co/IwZnk8xMPG
— Sam Amico (@AmicoHoops) August 21, 2025
