The quarterback carousel in Cleveland Browns may have just spun right off the rails. A dramatic piece of news surfaced this week from reporter and former XFL quarterback Cory Skuza, who shared a startling private text message from a Browns player. The message was blunt:

“A Browns player texted me last night (didn’t realize he had my number) and told me he was done with Dillon Gabriel.”

This single quote rips the lid off what has clearly become a boiling internal frustration within the Browns‘ locker room regarding their rookie quarterback, Dillon Gabriel. When the Browns drafted Gabriel in the third round of the 2026 draft, the organization signaled a new era. Yet, the returns on Gabriel have been rocky. While Browns coaches and ownership have publicly stood by Gabriel, believing in his potential and high football IQ, the whispers from the locker room suggest a much different reality.

 The team’s 27-20 loss to the Jets last Sunday, marked by familiar second-half offensive struggles, seems to have been the breaking point for some players. Down by just one score, the Browns faced a critical fourth-and-one. Instead of relying on a power run game, new offensive coordinator Tommy Rees called a pass play. The result? Gabriel was sacked for a seven-yard loss, ending a vital possession.

But then again, during the post-game press release, the coach was up defending the team’s rookie QB. Moreover, he took the whole blame on himself as he said,

“Felt like we put our guys in position to have success throughout the game and then, when you do that and you don’t have success, you always look to why and what you can do during the week to help your players have that success. There’s going to be a handful of calls that you make that the defense won the rep, and that happens in football throughout a game.”

Following the results, Veteran Browns beat reporter Mary Kay Cabot has suggested Gabriel deserves more time to develop. But when players are signaling their frustrations, the debate moves beyond development and into taking effective leadership.

Kevin Stefanski on Dillon Gabriel, QB2 decision involving Shedeur Sanders

The quarterback situation in the Browns is less a competition and more a puzzle that head coach Kevin Stefanski seems intent on solving at his own pace.

Since the October 7th trade that sent veteran Joe Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals, the starting role was handed to rookie Dillon Gabriel. Yet, Gabriel’s performance has done little to cement that decision. 

He’s completed just 58.6% of his passes for 869 yards, seven touchdowns, and two interceptions, averaging a modest 124.1 yards per game. These numbers, frankly, are not moving the needle for a struggling team. Meanwhile, waiting in the wings is fifth-round rookie Shedeur Sanders, the high-profile son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders. 

Despite the team’s weak play and constant offensive stagnation, Sanders has yet to take a single snap in a regular-season game. With the team faltering, every move by Stefanski is being dissected. Recently, the coach offered a peek behind the curtain, but it only seemed to add more confusion to the quarterback room. As reported by Zac Jackson of The Athletic, Stefanski announced that;

“Nothing has changed re: Shedeur Sanders’ practice reps or routine, but said Sanders has been good in post-practice drills with other young players, including today in red zone.”

Sanders’s lack of field time has been partly explained by recent injuries. He missed Week 8 against the Patriots and was limited in practice due to back tightness. Even before the Week 10 game against the Jets, Stefanski was hesitant, stating he wanted to see how he responds before committing to him as QB2 on Sunday.

The message from the head coach is clear: The job belongs to Gabriel, and there is no imminent change in the practice structure to get Sanders first-team reps.