Browns HC Kevin Stefanski explains his decision to bench Joe Flacco for Dillon Gabriel

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski has made it official. Joe Flacco is headed to the bench and rookie Dillon Gabriel is set to make his first NFL start this Sunday in England against the Minnesota Vikings.

This is not what Browns fans had in mind when the season began, but it's clear a change was needed.

Flacco has looked like a shell of the 2023 version of himself that miraculously stepped in and led the Browns to the postseason. He lacks any sense of mobility, and already has six interceptions in four games. Not all six are his fault, but the fact he also only has two touchdowns and roughly 200 yards per game meant it was time.

Stefanski addressed his reasoning for the decision Wednesday morning, per ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi.

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said the QB change is solely his decision.

"This is not about one person. Joe is a captain of this football team. We're going to need his leadership going forward, as always. ... [Dillon's] handled everything well since he's been on campus here. So…
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) October 1, 2025

As expected, he did not really address Flacco's play at all. He called the veteran a leader and noted he will be needed to help Gabriel as the rookie is being rushed into the starting lineup in only Week 5. While that is true, it is no secret the play of Flacco was abysmal.

The Browns had four quarterbacks in training camp and it seemed the starter battle was between Flacco and Kenny Pickett. Then, the latter hurt his hamstring and was unavailable the entire preseason. This led the Browns to trade Pickett and go with Flacco, which seems to be a massive mistake in hindsight.

The team is clearly toward the bottom of the league once again in 2025 and is not expected to make a postseason run as things stand right now. So why the early hook? The play of the defense may explain that, as Stefanski could lose the locker room if his defense looks like the best in the NFL, while the offense looks like the worst.

Enter Gabriel, who is starting earlier than anyone could have expected. However, getting an extended look at the rookie is not a bad idea if the Browns are considering using one of their two first-round picks in 2026 on yet another college quarterback. They drafted two rookie quarterbacks this year, so why not get a good look at one or even both?

This quarterback change also means Shedeur Sanders is potentially closer to getting on the field in 2025. If things continue to go south, there would be no harm in giving him a start later in the year.

For now, fans are hoping Gabriel can get a win and get the Browns back on track in what is a down year overall for the AFC North.