Many fans may have been rooting for Shedeur Sanders to remain the focus, but Dillon Gabriel has quickly proven his worth, taking over as the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback in Week 5. While his first two starts ended in losses, largely due to the Browns’ struggling offense, Gabriel has shown flashes of the talent that made him a third-round pick.
Like Sanders, Gabriel comes from a football-focused family, with his upbringing playing a key role in his rise to the NFL. Here’s a closer look at his parents, family background, and heritage.
What Is Dillon Gabriel’s Ethnicity?
Gabriel was born in Mililani, Hawaii, in 2000 to two Hawaiian parents, Garrett and Dori. He starred at Mililani High School, where he set passing records and broke the Hawaii state high school record for career passing yards, previously held by Miami Dolphins star Tua Tagovailoa.
Eventually, he became one of the top recruits from the state. Hawaii’s rich football culture shaped his playing style, and he eventually made his region proud when he became the first Hawai’i quarterback from a public high school in the islands ever to start an NFL game.
Gabriel has frequently celebrated his Hawaiian roots, even highlighting them during his time as a Heisman Trophy finalist. Growing up, he admired fellow Hawaiian quarterback and Oregon alum Marcus Mariota, who later became a mentor in his football journey.
Gabriel chose to wear No. 8 at Oregon, the same number Mariota wore when he won the Heisman in 2014, as a tribute to his role model.
Gabriel’s Parents: Who Are Garrett and Dori?
Gabriel’s father, Garrett, was a quarterback for the University of Hawaii from 1986-1990 and recorded 5,638 yards and 47 touchdowns at the end of his collegiate career. He most notably upset BYU, led by Heisman Trophy winner Ty Detmer, twice in 1989 and again in 1990, and this is why Dillon once said he was never a Cougars fan.
“Back home, the Hawaii-BYU rivalry is huge,” Dillon said in September 2020, per the UCF Rivals website. “We’d always put that BYU game on, when they ended up beating Ty Detmer after he won the Heisman. Personally, I’ll never be a BYU fan because of it. I’m with my dad on that one.”
Dillon’s mother, Dori, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Communication and Media Studies from Loyola Marymount University. She has been working as a Senior District Business Manager at Novo Nordisk since 2006, as per her LinkedIn profile.
Dori had some high praise for her son at the Heisman Trophy celebration, noting that Dillon had a generous attitude right from his childhood.
“He has a charisma about him. Has always had that. Could corral a bunch of kids in the neighborhood to get in the front yard and get a game together whether they wanted to play or not. And that’s always been who he was — loving people and getting people together. And that hasn’t changed,” she said.
Garrett also recognized Dillon’s leadership abilities early on, noting that while his son’s physical talent was obvious, his intangibles would be what truly set him apart.
“I think [I knew] at a young age,” Garrett said. “From Pop Warner, just his leadership abilities. He had a lot of the intangibles and I knew eventually his physical attributes would be at a level where he could play high school and college ball so, again, I could see it but it was mostly the leadership abilities. And I’d always stress that to him that that’s just as important as being able to play the game.”
Interestingly, Gabriel was reportedly named after former NFL running back Corey Dillon, which inspired the spelling of his first name. His father revealed that former NFL QB Brady Quinn was also considered before they settled on Dillon.
The rookie made his NFL debut on September 14 in a loss to the Baltimore Ravens, completing all three pass attempts for 19 yards and one touchdown. He saw limited action again next week before taking over the starting duties in Week 5.
While he has yet to record his first win as a starter, the Browns face a 1-5 Miami Dolphins team in Week 7, and Gabriel will be eager to make his family proud.
