The Browns‘ quarterback room is heating up, and it’s not just about the depth chart. Shedeur Sanders’ viral mime interview stirred headlines, tension, and plenty of speculation. Now, rookie starter Dillon Gabriel has weighed in, with a response that says more than it seems.

When asked whether Sanders’ headline-grabbing interview had any impact on him, Gabriel responded, “None. I don’t want to speak for anyone, but for me it’s like, ‘Hey, we’re a team, we do this together as a unit.’ We can only control what we can control. I don’t want to speak for anyone in particular.” That’s the professionalism and level of maturity everyone expects from a starter.

HC Kevin Stefanski made this decision after Joe Flacco failed to gain the 2nd win in 4 games. Gabriel, being their first QB pick (3rd round, 94th overall) in the 2025 NFL Draft, had the upper hand. Moreover, in 3 of 4 passes completed for 19 yards, he already has 1 touchdown. But everywhere, from the locker room to the national media, people are talking about the Colorado QB.

Yet, Gabriel isn’t fazed. He put aside all that talk and said, “I’ve been through a bunch of competitions at every stop.” That’s right. This competition started when the Browns drafted Sanders in the 5th round at 144th overall. However, the Oregon alumnus has proved his game to be better even in the preseason.

Here are the preseason numbers for both rookies.

Dillon Gabriel – 25 of 37 passes (67.6% completion rate), 272 passing yards, 1 passing touchdown, 1 interception, 1 fumble (lost), 1 rushing yard on two carries (0.5 yards per attempt), and 2 sacks

Shedeur Sanders – 17 of 29 passes (58.6% completion rate), 152 passing yards, 2 passing touchdowns, 19 rushing yards on four carries (4.75 yards per attempt), and 7 sacks

However, what makes the week 5 game so fun is that it’s an international game in London. So, Gabriel’s parents are in Hawaii, which made him joke that he needed to get his father a passport.

Amid the jokes and drama, NFL fans in England are excited for the game.

Shedeur Sanders makes headlines over mimer-view

On October 1 while talking to the reporters, the former Colorado quarterback answered 5 questions. But when asked about Gabriel, he said some words that no one heard. Yes, it was a pantomime that went viral sooner than anyone’s anticipation. A member of the Browns’ communication team shut down the interview.

But everyone got the piece they wanted.

Some took it as a reply to Gabriel winning the starter job, while some called it a reply to the former NFL coach Rex Ryan. The coach had earlier criticized the rookie and said, “This kid talks and he runs his mouth. Like he said, ‘I can be a starting quarterback’ with his arms crossed like this. Get your (expletive) in the front row and study and do all that.”

It started a series of fiery replies from the Sanders family. His mother also hit back at the coach through Instagram before deleting her comments. But the problems with Shedeur Sanders aren’t going anywhere. He will be on the sidelines as their emergency QB.

However, when the reporters asked HC Kevin Stefanski about the Colorado rookie, he replied that he was not focused on that. It clearly means that Sanders is not in the scheme of things right now. The QB can only hope for things to change in his favor. For now, he has put aside everything by calling it ‘God’s Plan.’ But if he doesn’t get a good chance, frustration might keep building up.