Dillon Gabriel’s Humor Shines Through Tense Browns Moment

Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel turned heads with a rather interesting response to getting sacked six times and hit another 16 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, fans of the former Oregon Ducks star won't be surprised by Gabriel's humor.

Oct 12, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) warms up before the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel took a beating in the loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers as Gabriel was sacked six times and hit another 16 times by the Steelers defense. The Browns lost in Gabriel's second start of his rookie year, but the former Oregon Ducks star turned heads because of his response to the lopsided defeat in Pittsburgh.

"My mom used to beat my ass when I was a kid, so I don't think anything will live up to what my mom did. No, I was just playing around, but I'm good. It's part of football, you know what I mean? That's why you play it. We're good," Gabriel said.

Oct 12, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) runs the ball during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

#Browns QB Dillon Gabriel was asked what Monday felt like after being hit so many times in Sunday's game against the Steelers:

"My mom used to beat my ass when I was a kid so I don't think anything will live up to what my mom did. No, I was just playing around, but I'm good." 😂 pic.twitter.com/pxcbC8KkGd

— Camryn Justice (@camijustice) October 15, 2025

Dillon Gabriel's Got Jokes

His response to the question generated quite a bit of laughter during his press conference, as Gabriel has proven his ability to maintain high spirits despite Cleveland's 1-5 start to the season.

Gabriel's humor was immediately recognized by fellow rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who praised the former Duck for his positivity.

"He always has a great mood. You know, he's always in a good mood. I've only been around him two days though. He always has a great mood, but overall I can tell he's a good person," Sanders told reporters when asked about his first impression of Gabriel.

The Browns lost to the Steelers 23-9. Gabriel finished the game with 221 passing yards, completing 29 of 52 pass attempts without turning the ball over. In his two starts, Gabriel is 0-2 with 411 passing yards and two touchdowns. Despite displaying pinpoint accuracy with the Ducks, Gabriel currently has a 57.3 percent completion rate in the NFL.

A History of Humor

The rookie quarterback was asked how he felt on Monday after getting hit so often against the Steelers, and Gabriel responded with the memorable soundbite. However, it's not the first time that Gabriel has caught the attention of the media.

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Jack Sawyer (33) pursues Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) during the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2025. Ohio State won 41-21. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Before Oregon's loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2025 Rose Bowl, part of the College Football Playoff, Gabriel gave a viral interview with KOIN's Brenna Greene:

"We love warm weather," said Gabriel to Greene. "I think we should play more football on nice grass instead of artificial stuff. And the more sun, the better. Why why do we do it to ourselves? Like do fans wanna sit in the snow and the rain? Let's just make areas, let's make domes, let's do grass, let's do more firework to games."

Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel throws out a pass during the Oregon football’s Pro Day Tuesday, March 18, 2025, at the Moshofsky Center in Eugene, Ore. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It was a rather early media session for Gabriel and the Ducks in the lead up to the Rose Bowl, and Gabriel's personality came through. On the other hand, Gabriel's wish of warm-weather football did not come true after being drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

In his one season with the Ducks, Gabriel proved he sometimes does things differently than other star quarterbacks. Instead of something flashy, Gabriel drove a minivan while in college, and one of his first purchases after signing his rookie contract was a Chrysler minivan.