The Cleveland Browns’ backup quarterback saga is reaching new heights every day. Joe Flacco is slated to be the starting quarterback in the regular season opener for the Browns on September 7. There’s some tough competition to be his backup QB between Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel and Kenny Pickett.
Sanders and Gabriel are rookies, whereas Pickett was traded by the Eagles last year. It’s a tough choice to make between the two rookies, but it’s not that big of a problem for Colin Cowherd, who took a strong stance on the debate on The Herd.
“You guys who love Shedeur in Carolina, are wearing his jerseys, you’re making him into a celebrity,” Cowherd said. “If I’m the coach and I have to choose, Dillon Gabriel may be easier to deal with. You don’t have to deal with nonsense.”
Cowherd isn’t completely sold on the idea of making Gabriel the backup QB because of his size. Gabriel is 5’11, 205 lbs, while Sanders is 6’2, 212 lbs. With a significant size advantage, Sanders could stand a chance to bag that role.
However, Sanders brings a lot of attention with him, which Cowherd believes would be off-putting for any coach. So, while he stated that neither of them is a transformational player right now, Cowherd would pick Sanders over Gabriel because of his size. But that’s not all that GMs look for.
“What NFL GMs really want from quarterbacks, they want you to be Andrew Luck, great and boring. Brady was mostly boring when he played. Peyton Manning got really, really funny when he retired. If you’re not great and neither one of these quarterbacks is, you can’t be the life of the party,” he said.
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Sanders has been a star for years now. A lot of it is because of his last name, and he made a lot of noise playing under his father, Deion Sanders, in Colorado. But now it’s becoming a problem for him in the NFL.
Dillon Gabriel Seemingly Took A Dig At Shedeur Sanders
After Gabriel made his preseason debut against the Eagles, he was asked about the quarterback situation. What Gabriel said raised a lot of eyebrows as it seemed like he was taking shots at Sanders. He told the media:
“There’s entertainers and there’s competitors. I totally understand that. My job is to compete and that’s what I’m focused on doing.”
“There’s entertainers and there’s competitors and I understand that but my job is to compete,” – Dillon Gabriel on his debut. pic.twitter.com/tbR15F1WBN
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) August 16, 2025
A lot of people assumed that he was referring to Sanders as an entertainer, something that others have also criticized him for. When his comment started getting heat in the media, Gabriel tried to put out the fire by issuing a clarification.
“You have a job to do, and I respect it,” Dillon said. “I’m a competitor. So I have a job to do, as well. Just understanding that’s how I’ve lived by, and I’ve said that multiple times. Definitely not a new quote.
“I’m all about our team and each other … Entertainers are you all. Competitor, that’s what I am, and all my teammates. We both have jobs to do, so that’s it.”
“All you in this room [media members] are entertainers… I’m a competitor.”
Dillon Gabriel clarifies who he was referring to in his “entertainers and competitors” comment during his mid-game interview that drew attention. pic.twitter.com/7GbVCzQAj1
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) August 16, 2025
Unfortunately, it was too late by then. Gabriel was criticized by several analysts, including Stephen A. Smith, for his immature comment.
Read More:
“How Much Did the Sanders Family Pay You”: Fans Slam Skip Bayless For Choosing Shedeur Over Cam Ward
Kendrick Perkins Compares Shedeur Sanders’ Cleveland Impact to Prime LeBron James
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