The Cleveland Browns quarterback room just became the hottest soap opera in the NFL. Rookie Dillon Gabriel earned his first NFL start after the Browns benched veteran Joe Flacco following a 34-10 blowout loss to the Lions.
Fans Think Dillon Gabriel Torches Shedeur Sanders Right After Landing QB1 Job
Fans Think Dillon Gabriel Torches Shedeur Sanders Right After Landing QB1 Job (Screenshot via x/@_MLFootball)
But it’s not the QB change that has social media on fire. The heat is coming from what Gabriel said afterward that fans believe was a direct shot at fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders.
Fans Think Dillon Gabriel Torches Shedeur Sanders Right After Landing QB1 Job
The Browns pulled the plug on Flacco after four weeks of underwhelming play. Head coach Kevin Stefanski handed the keys to Gabriel, the third-round pick out of Oregon.
They drafted Gabriel 94th overall and took Sanders 50 picks later in the fifth round. Right now, Sanders remains stuck as the third-string quarterback behind Gabriel and Flacco.
Gabriel’s Wednesday presser seemed routine at first. He talked about preparation. He mentioned focus. Then he dropped the line that made Boulder mad. “If you wait for the perfect time, you’re going to be waiting your whole life,” hesaid.
WOW: #NFL fans are saying #Browns QB Dillon Gabriel took shots at his fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders.
Gabriel on being named the Cleveland starting quarterback…
“You wait for the perfect time, you’re going to be waiting your whole life.”
pic.twitter.com/Atdn0Me9xG
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) October 1, 2025
He doubled down with a story about a buddy texting him a photo of a fire station, like doors open, trucks ready to roll. He visibly used the metaphor for staying locked in and prepared.
But fans started connecting the dots outright. Sanders has a song called “Perfect Timing.” Meanwhile, the timing of Gabriel’s “perfect time” quote felt like a pretty much calculated jab.
Add in Sanders’ bizarre mime performance with reporters on Wednesday, where he silently mouthed answers about being QB3. Now it seems like we’ve got a full-blown beef narrative.
Social Media Erupts Over Alleged QB Room Tension
The fire station analogy felt like Gabriel saying he’s always ready, unlike Sanders, who’s rotting on the depth chart. Whether it was intentional or not, NFL fans took it as a dagger.
They wasted no time picking sides. Onewrote, “Toss his balls out of the building. How dare he cooked our boy. That’s what now Boulder will be saying now.”
Anotherfiredback, “At least Shedeur took some shots this week. Best week of his NFL career.”
The debate got heated fast. One user tried playing referee. Hewrote, “Sheduer fans: Sheduer can’t even say anything without getting criticism. Also Sheduer fans: DiLlON iS tAKiNg sHOtS AT ShEduEr bEcAusE hE sAiD PErFeCt TImE!!!! Couldn’t possibly be saying that getting your shot in ‘ideal.'”
A fourth fan stoked the flames,penning, “That’s two. He’s just getting warmed up.”
The fifthremarked, “That QB room has to be real sassy, wait til Watson gets cleared in a few weeks lol,” with a preview of future chaos.
Whether Gabriel meant to throw shade or not, the damage is done. The Browns quarterback room is officially a powder keg, and Gabriel just tossed in a match.