Shedeur Sanders’ Comments About Dillon Gabriel Hint At Something Bigger

The Cleveland Browns quarterback situation has been must-see TV since they decided to draft two high-profile quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft in Oregon star Dillon Gabriel and Colorado stand out Shedeur Sanders.

Unfortunately for the Heisman Trophy finalist Gabriel, his NFL career has not gotten off to a hot start. After earning the starting quarterback role, Gabriel struggled and made uncharacteristic mistakes. Ultimately, he suffered a concussion in week 11 that led to the Browns starting Sanders.

Cleveland Browns Shedeur Sanders Dillon gabriel rookie quarterback Kevin Stefanski nfl concussion san francisco 49ers trade | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The Sanders hype train is now running in Cleveland and it's possible Gabriel might not see playing time for the Browns again. Sanders has made the most of his opportunity, beating the Las Vegas Raiders in his first NFL start. And while Gabriel has now cleared concussion protocol, Sanders has won the starting job from him.

How is Gabriel handling his "benching?" Ducks fans will not be surprised to see how Sanders and coach Kevin Stefanski described Gabriel's behavior this week as his moves to the back up role for Cleveland's game vs. the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Nov. 30 at 10 a.m. PT.

Shedeur Sanders' Comments On Dillon Gabriel

Gabriel's leadership and poise has translated from Eugene to Cleveland. Despite all the quarterback drama and constant media attention that follows Sanders, Gabriel is a "winner" because of his attitude.

“He’s a hard worker. He’s the same guy,” Sanders said about Gabriel. “I feel like a lot of people in this locker room, he’s the same within every situation they’re in. You understand? He spent a lot of years in college, so he got experience in a lot of different areas and a lot of different people.

"So, he knows how to, like, bond and mesh with different people. So, since he been back, he been good. He been good. He’s been cool throughout everything,” Sanders continued.

Gabriel’s rookie NFL campaign currently sits with a 1-5 record in his six starts, along with two additional games in relief. He finished 109-of-184 passing (59.2 percent) for 937 yards, seven touchdowns, and two interceptions, topping 200 yards only once. His modest completion rate and an 8.91 percent sack rate tell a different story than some of the exciting flashes he showed.

The bigger story is that Gabriel walked into a difficult environment in Cleveland from day one. Few young quarterbacks thrive without reliable weapons or solid protection, and add on the NFL’s most-discussed quarterback controversy only heightens the pressure. It’s the kind of setup that derails rookies, yet Gabriel has stayed composed and relentlessly team-oriented... an impressive feat given the circumstances. His strong mentality that he exemplified as a Duck has shined through.

Browns quarterbacks Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel talk before a game, Nov. 16, 2025. | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Stefanski gave a glowing review of Gabriel after he was moved to the back up role.

“Our guys are great teammates,” Stefanski said. “That’s what I appreciate about the guys on this football team. You push each other, you pull each other when you need to. So, he’ll be in that backup role, and he’ll do everything in his power to help this football team, everything in his power to help Shedeur.”

On the flip side, Sanders led the Browns to a 24-10 win over Las Vegas, completing 55 percent of his passes for 209 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. The former Colorado star showed big-play ability and only took one sack for a three yard loss while still using his ability to extend plays outside of the pocket.

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Gabriel's Impact At Oregon

As a Duck, Gabriel showed off elite decision making and processing, one of the few reasons why Cleveland viewed him as a third-round NFL Draft pick. The former Oregon quarterback threw for 3,857 yards and 30 touchdowns and led Oregon to a 13-0 regular season record and a Big Ten Conference Championship.

Gabriel's professional career is certainly not over. And neither is his impact in Eugene.

Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel, left, and coach Dan Lanning embrace after defeating Maryland at Autzen Stadium. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore has been vocal about the lessons he has learned from Gabriel. Moore sat behind Gabriel in the 2024 season and learned how to enjoy the process of a season.

“The biggest things I learned from Dillon is just preparation and then having joy with the game of football,” Moore said. “He said when you step between the white lines and play football you got to have joy and have fun with it.”

“He would come to the facility early in the morning and late at night, that you gotta enjoy the process and be thankful for it,” Moore continued. “I feel like seeing him smile every day when the days got tough, it brought me the juice and energy to keep going and make sure I'm pushing my teammates the best they can do.”

Oregon coach Dan Lanning pointed out how Gabriel has maintained a great connection with the current Ducks, even during a hectic season.

"He's still done an unbelievable job staying connected with our players here, which is pretty awesome for a guy who has moved on to the next phase of his life, that he still touches base with our team," Lanning said.

Shedeur Sanders' Comments On Dillon Gabriel

Gabriel's Impact At Oregon

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