Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel has remained quiet since being benched.
Getty
Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel has remained quiet since being benched.
No one has heard much from Dillon Gabriel since he lost his starting job with the Cleveland Browns. However, he did take to social media this week to celebrate a special occasion.
Gabriel gave a shoutout to his fiancée, Zo Caswell, on her birthday via social media.
“Bday Girl! Literally more life more everyting. (Expletive) so fun and better with you in it,” Gabriel said. “I’m with you whenever and wherever. Happy Birthday and love you forever. Fun ahead.”
Gabriel and Caswell have been together since high school in Hawaii, building a relationship that lasted through his multiple college stops and now the NFL. He proposed to Caswell in September 2024.
Dillon Gabriel’s Fiancée Got in Hot Water With Browns Fans
Caswell is active on social media and found herself in some hot water with Browns fans for comments she made during the season. After a Week 13 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, Caswell posted a TikTok video with the caption, “Browns lost what’s new,” along with a crying laughing emoji. It quickly went viral for the wrong reasons, and her additional comments didn’t help her cause.
“Actually everyone in the building wants him to play. But you wouldn’t know that [because] you’ve never played in the NFL or been a [coach] right,” Caswell said in response to a comment, defending Gabriel.
Caswell later issued a statement, saying that she had received some disturbing messages.
“To the people commenting and DMing me disgusting things, you are insanely uninformed and have no clue what you are talking about,” Caswell said. “I support the Browns and WHOEVER is playing 100%. I would joke about us losing when Dillon was playing or not. Please take a joke and calm down. Thanks.”
Browns Make Feelings Clear on Dillon Gabriel
Gabriel was a third-round pick of the Browns last season. He was named the starter early in the season, taking over for Joe Flacco in Week 5. Gabriel went 1-5 in six starts, throwing for 937 yards with seven touchdowns and two interceptions.
While he protected the football, he struggled to push it downfield or create explosive plays, averaging just 5.1 yards per attempt. Gabriel suffered a concussion during a Week 11 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Shedeur Sanders took over and Gabriel never won back the starting job.
The conversation about the Browns’ starting quarterback next season has mostly centered around Sanders and Deshaun Watson. But Cleveland general manager Andrew Berry hasn’t forgotten about Gabriel.
“He may be forgotten externally, but he’s not forgotten to us. (He’s) gonna handle everything within his control,” Berry said at the NFL Combine on Tuesday. “Dillon’s a guy that has a bright future in this league.”
Browns new head coach Todd Monken has characterized the quarterback situation as an “open competition.”
“I mean, I don’t why it wouldn’t be an open competition,” Monken said. “I don’t mean that saying it harshly, but I don’t think there’s enough on film over the last couple years one way or the other to say, boy, we have our starter at quarterback yet. Whether internally or externally.”
Whether Gabriel will be a legitimate part of that competition remains to be seen.