Browns Name Dillon Gabriel Starting Quarterback

Gabriel will start for Cleveland in Week 5.

Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel has been named the team's starter, replacing Joe Flacco. / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Dillon Gabriel is getting his shot.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Wednesday morning that the rookie quarterback will replace Joe Flacco as the starter for Week 5.

Change in Cleveland: Browns are benching veteran QB Joe Flacco in favor of rookie QB Dillon Gabriel, per sources. The Browns were informed of the change this morning.

Gabriel’s first NFL start comes Sunday in London vs. the Vikings. pic.twitter.com/lUV1W5RQob

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 1, 2025

Gabriel's first start will come against the Minnesota Vikings in London at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.

The team selected Gabriel with the 94th pick in the 2025 NFL draft, and he was part of a four-way competition for the starting job in training camp. Flacco was named the starter, but Gabriel won the backup job, edging out fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders and Kenny Pickett.

With Flacco at the helm, the Browns have started 1-3. In four games, the 40-year-old completed 58.1% of his passes for 815 yards, with two touchdowns and six interceptions. His passer rating of 60.3 is woeful and ranks dead last among qualifying NFL quarterbacks, while his QBR of 27.0 ranks 32nd of the 33 NFL quarterbacks.

Gabriel taking the starting job is likely bad news for Sanders, who is currently the team's third-string signal-caller. Cleveland took the Colorado product with the 144th pick in the 2025 draft, two rounds after Gabriel was selected.

Dillon Gabriel College Career

Gabriel spent six years in college, three at UCF and two in Oklahoma, before finishing his career at Oregon. As a senior in 2024, the 24-year-old completed 72.9% of his passes for 3,857 yards, with 30 touchdowns and six interceptions. He added seven rushing scores.

His 18,722 career passing yards rank second all-time among college quarterbacks, while his 189 touchdowns and 63 starts are the most by a quarterback in FBS history.

Gabriel is undersized for the position at a hair above 5'11" and 205 pounds, making him an unconventional choice at the position.

So far this season, Gabriel has seen the field in two games. He has completed 3-of-4 passes for 19 yards and a touchdown.

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