After starting their season going 1-3 through their first four games, the Cleveland Browns have officially decided to make a change at quarterback. Ahead of their Week 5 matchup with the Minnesota Vikings, the Browns announced that third-round pick Dillon Gabriel would be their starter in the future.
This was unfortunate news for fellow rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who saw a starting opportunity pass right by him. Furthermore, not only was Sanders not appointed the new starter, but he wasn’t even promoted to second-string quarterback.
This means that Sanders is now the third-string quarterback behind a 40-year-old Joe Flacco after Cleveland said they’re now looking towards their future. This is an incredibly tough position for a player to be in after dominating in college just one season ago. Gabriel also commented after the announcement that could have made matters even worse.
Why Do Fans Think Gabriel Is Taking Shots at Sanders?
In Gabriel’s first time speaking to the media after being appointed to the starter, he made some interesting comments that many were convinced were a “sneak-diss” against Sanders, saying, “You wait for the perfect time, you’re going to be waiting your whole life.”
“You wait for the perfect time, you’re gonna wait a whole lifetime” pic.twitter.com/0kUGzV1Kal
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) October 1, 2025
While this quote might not seem like anything geared towards Sanders, he does have a song titled “Perfect Timing,” which is essentially what Gabriel said in his quote. For this to be a quote from the first presser in which he was named the starter over Sanders, many fans jumped to the conclusion that this was targeted.
One fan even went as far as to say that Gabriel “HATES” Sanders due to this “sneak-diss.”
I think Dillon Gabriel HATES Shedeur. Second time he’s sneaky dissing him to the media. https://t.co/QAca4uszmN
— Jack Mac (@JackMacCFB) October 1, 2025
Another fan understood where Gabriel would be coming from, saying, “I’m a Shedeur fan with all my heart… but I would completely understand if Dillon didn’t like him. It’s natural for anyone in this situation to feel like that. You have to be the most mature and confident person in the WORLD to not feel a way…”
I’m a Shedeur fan with all my heart …but I would completely understand if Dillon didn’t like him. It’s natural for anyone in this situation to feel like that. You have to be the most mature and confident person in the WORLD to not feel a way…
— 💙💙Nicole💙❗ (@nicole19081908) October 2, 2025
There was another fan in agreement that it’s understandable, saying, “I mean if you showed up every day, didn’t cause any issues, was a good teammate, and had to deal with the backlash from the Sanders cult because you’re above him in the depth chart, I could see how that’s frustrating.”
I mean if you showed up everyday, didn’t cause any issues, was a good teammate, and had to deal with the backlash from the Sanders cult because you’re above him in the depth chart, I could see how that’s frustrating
— Steve (@MuniLotSteve) October 2, 2025
On the other hand, one fan called Gabriel a “clown” for “dissing” his teammate to the media.
This is the second time he’s thrown a shot at his own teammate on camera. This kid is a fuckin’ clown. https://t.co/rzVIj7DZog
— Kip Smithers (@Chughes612) October 1, 2025
While it’s all speculation and nothing has been confirmed yet, it’s hard to believe that there wasn’t some intention behind the phrasing. If it wasn’t intentional, it would be a huge coincidence, as the “perfect timing” phrase is one that has shaped Sanders since he dropped the song in 2024.
