A former Oregon star isn’t holding back as he looks to stake his claim at the next level.
Last season, the Ducks were among the best teams in all of college football. With Dillon Gabriel under center, Oregon managed to enter the College Football Playoff as the No. 1 team in the nation.
While a sour loss against Ohio State in the quarterfinals tainted one of the best seasons in school history, it still propelled Gabriel into the third round of the NFL Draft, landing him in Cleveland with a legitimate shot to start next season.
Gabriel secured his first start of the NFL preseason on Saturday when the Browns beat the Philadelphia Eagles 22-13. Gabriel completed 13 of 18 passes for 143 yards and a pick in his first taste of NFL action. With a relatively successful performance in his debut against the defending champs, the former Duck had some interesting comments after the game.
Did Dillon Gabriel CALL OUT Shedeur Sanders? 😳
via @YahooSports | #DawgPound pic.twitter.com/LuOblcPNZh
— FanDuel (@FanDuel) August 16, 2025
“There’s entertainers and there’s competitors, and I totally understand that, but my job is to compete,” Gabriel said.
Perhaps referencing fellow Browns draft pick Shedeur Sanders, who is best known for his flashy style from his time playing at Colorado, for his dad, Deion Sanders. Coach Prime’s coaching style at Colorado has certainly been the subject of criticism since his arrival.
With his comments on Saturday, Gabriel might have even taken some inspiration from his former coach. In 2023, Oregon coach Dan Lanning went viral for a pregame speech before a game against Colorado, saying, “They’re fighting for clicks, we’re fighting for wins.”
Now competing for the starting job in Cleveland, it’s not too surprising that Gabriel has brought over a bit of the Oregon-Colorado fire, even if he wasn’t around for Lanning’s viral speech.