Shedeur Sanders Apologizes To Dillon Gabriel Following Injury in Browns' Loss

Former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders left Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills after suffering a pinky injury before retuning late in the first half. The Cleveland Browns rookie apologized to backup quarterback Dillon Gabriel for putting him in a tough position.

Shedeur Sanders Apologizes To Dillon Gabriel

Colorado Buffaloes Shedeur Sanders NFL Cleveland Browns Buffalo Bills Injury Dillon Gabriel Rookie Quarterback Deion Sanders — Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) paces the sideline after quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) failed to score on a drive during the first half of NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens at Huntington Bank Field, Nov. 16, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio. | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With the Browns trailing the Bills 13-7 with 6:28 in the second quarter, Shedeur had engineered a drive down to the red-zone. Earlier on the drive, Sanders injured his pinky. It forced him to come out of the game after a 2nd and Goal pass attempt to tight end Braden Bates. With Sanders out, that meant Gabriel had to come in for the 3rd and Goal. Gabriel was sacked, forcing a fourth down, and the Browns ultimately settled for a field goal.

Sanders felt responsible for putting Gabriel in a bad situation, with him having to be thrown in the game at that point. Shedeur spoke to reporters after the game, saying how he apologized to Gabriel.

“I did everything to come back…I didn’t want to put Dillon in a bad situation…It’s tough to play that role because you don’t get reps,” Sanders said. “I said, 'My bad bro’ for putting you in that situation.”

Shedeur has been in that situation before as the Browns backup quarterback and having to be quickly subbed in a game. That happened earlier this season in the Browns game against the Baltimore Ravens, when Gabriel was starting and left with an injury.

Sanders also talked about what happened to his pinky.

“You can look online and see what my finger look like if you want. I’m sure they got the details on there” Sanders said with a smile. “I put it (my pinky) in my hand warmer and I was like ‘why is my pinky not getting (warm).’ Then I threw Quinshon (Judkins) a little route down there and it kind of was a little high and I was like 'Dang,' and then it was over with.”

Sanders ended up finishing the game, going 20/29 passing for 157 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. He also had four rushes for 49 yards. The Browns fell to the Bills by a final score of 23-20, dropping to 3-12 on the season.

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Rookie Quarterback Room

It was been an interesting season in the Cleveland Browns quarterback room this season, beginning during the 2025 NFL Draft, when the franchise selected both Gabriel and Sanders.

Sanders was shockingly selected all the way in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Browns. Coming into the draft, the former Colorado star was projected to go in the first or second round. What made this even more surprising is that the Browns two rounds earlier in the third had selected Gabriel, who was thought to go much later than Sanders.

Shedeur Sanders played his final two seasons of college football for his dad, coach Deion Sanders at Colorado. Shedeur totaled 7,364 passing yards and 64 passing touchdowns on a completion percentage of 71.8 during this time. That 71.8 is the FBS record for career completion percentage.

His best season was in 2024, where he helped lead the Buffaloes to nine wins and a berth in the Alamo Bowl. Shedeur was named the 2024 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year in their first season back in the conference after spending over a decade in the Pac-12.

The Buffs took a major step back without Shedeur in 2025 and went 3-9.