History doesn’t simply repeat itself when it comes to the Cleveland Browns and NFL Draft rage. It dons a jersey, purchases season tickets, and begins tailgating at six in the morning. Whether it was avoiding future Hall of Famers, falling for quarterback disasters, or, more recently, ignoring a Sanders. Browns fans have made a point to voice their fury over draft-day selections.
Like in 2014, when Johnny Manziel was selected by the Browns with the 22nd overall pick. His dazzling undergraduate record convinced fans. But many chose to overlook his subsequent unreliability and moral issues. Manziel’s dismal NFL career is well known; his bad choices off the field and inability to adapt to the professional game caused him to fail quickly. Cleveland has witnessed everything, from couch fires in 1999 to jersey burnings in 2014.
So, when Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski decided to sign Dillon Gabriel instead of Shedeur Sanders? To put it mildly, the Dawgs howled. And they’re not just angry this time. They are historically mad.
It was a quarterback selection that not a single person anticipated. Here comes the 5’11” Hawaiian, Dillon Gabriel. The Browns were supposed to draft the shining hope. Shedeur Sanders, a player who could almost write his name in the NFL record books before ever taking a snap. Sanders was the heir apparent to the NFL’s most promising quarterbacking future, and everyone was waiting for him to be grabbed. But the Browns decided to pass him up in what can only be called a self-sabotaging move.
More arm talent in the QB room
Dillon Gabriel is our newest addition pic.twitter.com/CQOUF5sbCw
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) April 26, 2025
This is when Cleveland fans, who have experienced more grief than a character in a soap opera, went crazy. You did not choose Shedeur? You chose Dillon Gabriel? A guy whose most notable accomplishment is that he was a marginally better-than-average college quarterback at three different schools? Axelrod (@BenAxelrod) lit the fire with his now-infamous tweet: “The Dillon Gabriel pick feels like one that fans (like me) will be throwing back in this Browns front office’s face as long as it’s here.”
And in case you believe that’s just a lone voice, Ohio’s Tate (@BarstoolTate) also didn’t hold back: “I apologize for under-reacting. I initially thought the Browns taking Dillon Gabriel over Will Howard was fucking stupid. After reflecting, taking the 5’11 Hawaiian who said ‘the warmer weather the better’ over the 6’4 Ohio hero (who is also CLEARLY better) is flat out…uhh, dumb.”
Not to mention the intense fan engagement on X when the selection was dropped. Comments like “What did Shedeur do?” and “WTF, why is this not Shedeur? Get out with this pick” were the messages flooding the Browns’ timeline. Even a Steelers supporter couldn’t help but comment, “This is so funny as a Steelers fan .” Hurts, right? The whole NFL community was wondering: What the hell did the Browns see in Dillon Gabriel that made them skip over Shedeur Sanders?
Dillon Gabriel breaks his silence with a bold 2-word message to Browns fans
Alright, despite being the most overlooked player in this draft class, Dillon Gabriel does have a certain confidence. He just posted a catchy two-word message on X that said, “Ballers Ball #DawgPound.” And he gave the same vibe in his first interview after getting drafted. “I’m excited for what’s to come,” he said, as a high school student who had just received word that he had been selected to play on the varsity team.
Finally, Gabriel talked about how he wasn’t frightened by the NFL’s biggest names and how he learnt from them. Even though he is fighting an aging Joe Flacco and a Super Bowl MVP in the quarterback’s room, Dillon is confident in his own skills. “I’m confident in my abilities. I know what I bring to the table.”
Well done, Dillon. But as everyone knows, the true question is: Will the Browns be able to accept that they just passed up one of the draft’s most promising quarterbacks? Andrew Berry, the general manager of the Browns, wasn’t worried about the choice. “We really felt strongly about Dillon throughout this process. I felt he’s a really strong, really good prospect.” Yes, Andrew, of course. We have complete faith in you.
And, Kevin Stefanski discussed Dillon Gabriel’s ability to overcome his lack of ideal height in the interview. Saying that he “finds a way to get it done.” Because every quarterback under six feet is undoubtedly a potential Tom Brady, isn’t he? Well, we’ll see.
But hey, perhaps Gabriel will take us all by surprise. Maybe he will become the franchise quarterback Cleveland has been hoping for. Or this is the time to finally change the history of the Browns. Or perhaps, just possibly, they will have to accept that they passed up a future legend for a man who is more likely to warm up a bench than lead them to greater success.
The post Cleveland Refuses to Forgive Kevin Stefanski for Shedeur Sanders Snub as Dillon Gabriel Sends 2-Word Message to Browns appeared first on EssentiallySports.
