Ex-Browns QB makes comeback in professional football outside NFL

Former Cleveland Browns quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson will soon step back onto a professional football field.

During the United Football League draft on Monday, the Orlando Storm selected Thompson-Robinson. The Browns selected Thompson-Robinson in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of UCLA.

Dorian Thompson-Robinson was drafted by the Orlando Storm out of the UFL today.

The #Browns selected DTR in the 5th Round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
— Nick Camino (@NickCaminoWKYC) January 12, 2026

Thompson-Robinson spent two seasons in Cleveland

Thompson-Robinson showcased impressive skills during his initial preseason and even started a few games during the 2023 regular season.

Starting quarterback Deshaun Watson missed several games due to a handful of different injuries in 2023, which meant that Thompson-Robinson had to fill in for him during three different games. He finished with a 1-2 record, with his only win coming against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Thompson-Robinson suffered an injury against the Denver Broncos late in the season, which ultimately led to him being replaced by Joe Flacco.

Cleveland's decision to draft Thompson-Robinson was somewhat surprising, and Tim Bielik from Cleveland.com gave general manager Andrew Berry a "D-" for selecting him.

"What keeps this grade from being an F is that Thompson-Robinson did help the Browns win a key game when he led them to a 13-10 victory vs. the Steelers in Week 11 in 2023," Bielik wrote on Feb. 3. "But Thompson-Robinson has not shown that he can do much in the NFL. The athletic ability is intriguing, but Thompson-Robinson simply has not been able to slow the game down as a passer and the TD-to-INT ratio is simply not good enough."

The Browns traded Thompson-Robinson and a 2025 fifth-round pick this past offseason to the Philadelphia Eagles for quarterback Kenny Pickett.

Thompson-Robinson didn’t make the Eagles' 53-man roster after training camp, and the Browns traded Pickett to the Las Vegas Raiders before the season began. This means that neither quarterback involved in the trade was on the team they were dealt to during Week 1.

Thompson-Robinson could refine his skills while competing in the UFL, and who knows, he might carve out a path for a comeback to the NFL one day.

With Kevin Stefanski no longer the head coach of the Browns, there’s a possibility that Thompson-Robinson could end up on a team where Stefanski is coaching again, especially if he wants Thompson-Robinson back in his quarterback room for personal reasons.

It will be interesting to follow Thompson-Robinson's career in the UFL, and perhaps he can replicate some of the great plays he made at UCLA, this time on a professional level.