Dillon Gabriel‘s debut as quarterback for the Cleveland Browns was notable not only for his plays but also for his comments.
In the second preseason game, the former Oregon player and his team ended up winning 22-13 against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Dillon made his first appearance with the team, playing in the first half of the game. He completed 13 of 18 passes for 143 yards, with no touchdowns and one interception. Tyler Huntley then took his place.
After the game, the quarterback shared a few words with News 5 Cleveland: “There are entertainers and there are competitors, and I totally understand that. And my job is to compete, and that’s what I’m focused on doing,” Gabriel said.
Some NFL fans interpreted these comments as a message against his fellow rookie, Shedeur Sanders.
In light of the controversy, Dillon took the opportunity to clear up any doubts about his comment and the alleged attack on his teammate at a press conference on Saturday: “Entertainers are you all [in the media]. Competitor, that’s what I am and all my teammates, and we both have jobs to do. So that’s it.“
The support of a renowned analyst
Despite the quarterback’s explanations, some people remained convinced that this was not his true intention. However, Stephen A. Smith believed and supported the quarterback.
On his ESPN show “First Take,” he said he didn’t think it was a jab at Deion Sanders’ son, but rather an ill-advised comment: “I never believed he was talking about Shedeur Sanders,” Smith said. “I totally believed him when he said he was talking about the media.“
In addition, Smith said that competition is not limited to the field and is not only between players, but is something that affects everyone in all areas of life. However, he argued that it created an unnecessary fight with the media:
“It was a stupid, idiotic, immature comment because clearly you were feeling the heat because a lot of people were talking about how Shedeur should be QB number two. But I know he was not talking about Shedeur Sanders; he was talking about the media. Here’s the problem: you now heightened the level of scrutiny coming your way.“
Meanwhile, the team is preparing for its third preseason game on Saturday against the Los Angeles Rams at Huntington Bank Field.
Joe Flacco will finally be the starting quarterback when they kick off the season on September 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals. Experience, familiarity, and comfort level played in favor of the veteran chosen by Kevin Stefanski.
Flacco, 40, battled with Shedeur Sanders, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, and Tyler Huntley, and along the way, he did not accumulate any injuries. This, without a doubt, was something that also tipped the scales in his favor.
Read the full article here
