Quarterback Dillon Gabriel finally got his long-awaited start in front of a home crowd. The Browns rolled past the Miami Dolphins 31–6 on October 19, giving the rookie his first NFL win in his third career start.

It was a gritty, rain-soaked afternoon. Yet Gabriel, who had played all four of his previous games on the road, including one in London, managed to stay composed. He went 13-of-18 passing (72.2%) for 116 yards, posting a passer rating of 89.1 and, more importantly, a win that bumped him to 1–2 as an NFL starter. But while the scoreboard looked great for Cleveland, social media told a different story. Many fans, especially Dolphins’ supporters, felt the officiating leaned heavily in Gabriel’s favor. A viral post on X summed up the frustration bluntly:

“NFL got a conspiracy against Shedeur fasho. They won’t let Dillon Gabriel make a mistake boy 😂😂.” The Browns have spent most of the season at the bottom of the league in scoring, averaging just 13.7 points per game heading into Week 7. Saturday’s win may have bought Gabriel some breathing room, but with Shedeur Sanders waiting in the wings and fans calling out “ref favoritism,” the pressure on the rookie isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

That reference to Shedeur wasn’t random. The former Colorado standout, now backing up Gabriel in Cleveland, has reportedly been closing the gap on the rookie starter. According to Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot, the coaching staff has been impressed by Sanders’ work ethic — especially the extra sessions he’s been logging after practice. Many believe it’s only a matter of time before Cleveland gives him a real shot.

For now, Gabriel remains the guy. But it hasn’t been an easy ride. Last week against Pittsburgh, he was sacked six times and hit more than a dozen other times in a 23–9 loss. The Browns leaned too heavily on his arm; he threw 52 passes, while their ground game never found its rhythm.

“In a perfect world, you always want to be balanced,” Gabriel said after that defeat. “At some point you’re not fighting the scoreboard, you’re fighting time. Winning football is pretty balanced — the run and the pass working together, creating explosives and just being efficient overall.”

Even so, patience in Cleveland is wearing thin.

Browns fans left frustrated with Dillon Gabriel

The Browns’ quarterback situation has been anything but stable this season. Rookie Dillon Gabriel has started under center, but uneven play and questionable calls have left fans frustrated.

“I can’t believe how much Dillon Gabriel gets bailed out. Legitimately should have 6-8 picks through 3 games.” Gabriel may be struggling under the spotlight, but he’s far from inexperienced. At 24 years old with more than 60 college starts, he’s older than Caleb Williams, C.J. Stroud, and Bryce Young, and just 10 months younger than Trevor Lawrence. His extensive college experience means the Browns aren’t dealing with a raw rookie.

One fan chimed in, “But let’s not act like the refs didn’t hand the Browns this TD here. Brutally terrible call on Minkah Fitzpatrick for a DPI on what easily should’ve been a Dillon Gabriel INT.”

Another wrote, “These refs keep bailing Dillon Gabriel out.”  After trading veteran Joe Flacco to Cincinnati, Gabriel became the starter, but the Browns are keeping a close eye on Sanders.

“Why won’t the NFL let Dillon Gabriel throw a pick? Dude should have 10 ints this season 😂 the league hates Shedeur Sanders,” one user added.

Even defensive star Myles Garrett has noticed Sanders’ dedication, often seeing him working early mornings with head coach Kevin Stefanski. While Gabriel continues to get a “decent on-ramp,” the coaching staff is confident Sanders will be ready to play, likely before the season’s end.