No rookie had a tougher crowd than Dillon Gabriel during the Cleveland Browns’ second joint practice with the Philadelphia Eagles on August 14. Gabriel’s stats grabbed the spotlight, but what fans really noticed was the mood on social media. By the end of the workout, the rookie quarterback was at the center of a firestorm, with opinions flying everywhere about his future in Cleveland.
Why Are Cleveland Browns Fans So Frustrated With Dillon Gabriel’s Practice?
Plenty of Browns fans couldn’t hold back after Gabriel finished team drills with just one completion out of five attempts. Sure, that lone completion was a 25-yard touchdown to Harold Fannin Jr., and Gabriel didn’t throw any interceptions, but scoring didn’t quiet anyone online. Most were stuck on the numbers and how the offense never got in sync.
ESPN Cleveland tracked the action, but the strongest chatter hit X.
@WNBA_SuperHater posted, “Yo, Gabriel is some flaming hot buttocks. And what is Stefanski drawing up to get him these padded TD numbers?”
Yo, Gabriel is some flaming hot buttocks. And what is Stefanski drawing up to get him these padded TD numbers?
— Caitlin Clark Fans DO NOT like basketball. (@WNBA_SuperHater) August 14, 2025
@Sling424 came in just as hot: “Holy s**t they rlly drafted this guy in the 3rd round.”
Holy shit they rlly drafted this guy in the 3rd round
— Sling (@Sling424) August 14, 2025
Then @fonduwu bluntly added, “Gabriel is s**t from a butt omg.”
Gabriel is shit from a butt omg
— basically (@fonduwu) August 14, 2025
The pile-on got louder, with @brownsoverload chiming in, “Dillon Gabriel is f*****g awful.”
Dillon Gabriel is fucking awful pic.twitter.com/XcVy2JHe0c
— I Hate Sports (@brownsoverload) August 14, 2025
It wasn’t just about what Gabriel did wrong; many fans also questioned the Browns’ choice to pick him in the third round. People like @LeGOATBurner23 joked Gabriel would “still be QB2” no matter how badly he played, with frustration bubbling over about both the player and the team’s decision.
What Stood Out From the Joint Browns-Eagles Practice?
Looking past the heated reaction, there were other highlights in the 65-minute session. According to Martin Frank of the Delaware News Journal, Gabriel’s touchdown happened late in practice with Eagles rookie safety Drew Mukuba in coverage. Mukuba’s day had ups and downs, as he later intercepted a Gabriel pass to Diontae Johnson after Johnson couldn’t hang on. That left the door open for more debate about Gabriel’s consistency.
This joint session had its own drama with a limited Browns quarterback rotation. Shedeur Sanders missed time because of an oblique strain, Kenny Pickett was out with a hamstring injury, and Joe Flacco took center stage by going seven-for-10 with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Tyler Huntley and Pickett did not attempt passes, leaving Gabriel and Flacco to handle most of the snaps.
The Browns did break out a trick play with Flacco tossing to Fannin Jr., who lateraled to Dylan Sampson for an untouched touchdown. These creative sequences kept the energy up, but most of the heavy lifting came from Cleveland’s defense. Myles Garrett made his presence felt, constantly disrupting the Eagles’ offensive line and setting the tone for the workout.
On the Philadelphia side, tight end Dallas Goedert delivered one of the day’s top moments by dodging Browns cornerback Myles Harden for a score. Eagles coach Nick Sirianni summed up the first day of joint practices in blunt fashion, admitting he was unhappy with too many negative plays, blaming the Browns’ defensive line for messing up their rhythm.
#Eagles Nick Sirianni on yesterday’s practice: “There were too many negative plays. It’s hard to score when you’re going backwards.” pic.twitter.com/7U1WqlydYi
— Martin Frank (@Mfranknfl) August 14, 2025
Heading toward the preseason game on August 16, Kevin Stefanski said Sanders is unlikely to play, so Gabriel is in line to start. This next matchup will be an early test for the rookie, who has already stirred up plenty of drama with just one joint practice under his belt. Browns fans will be watching closely to see if Gabriel can quiet the doubters or if the noise will only get louder as the 2024-25 campaign rolls on.
