The Cleveland Browns will reportedly continue to start Dillon Gabriel at quarterback. Head coach Kevin Stefanski is preaching patience with the rookie.
That ongoing decision has rubbed plenty of people the wrong way, including analyst Craig Carton, who recently turned heads with his claim about Gabriel.
“I’m sorry, Dillon, you cannot play NFL football. In my lifetime, I don’t think there’s another example of this that’s ever happened. We’ve never seen it before. I’ve never seen a quarterback as bad as Dillon Gabriel in conjunction with a franchise that is still going to make him their starter. I’ve never seen those two things. I have never seen an incompetent coach and an incompetent quarterback united at the hip with no end in sight. Malpractice? This is worse. This is disgusting. It’s unacceptable that the Browns keep forcing it down their fans’ throats,” Carton said.
STARTING DILLON GABRIEL IS ONE OF THE DUMBEST DECISIONS IN THE HISTORY OF THE NFL!
“Malpractice? THIS IS WORSE! I have never seen an incompetent coach… & incompetent QB united at the hip with no end in sight” – @craigcartonlive #NFL #Browns pic.twitter.com/CdcLrV2a0v
— The Craig Carton Show (@CraigCartonShow) November 10, 2025
Truth be told, it’s easy to see where Carton is coming from. More than that, the main concern with Gabriel is that his flaws cannot be corrected. He simply doesn’t have the elite physical traits to be an effective NFL starting quarterback, and that’s likely never going to change.
Stefanski might be trying to make a point by refusing to replace Gabriel with Shedeur Sanders. Whatever the case, this is not going to work as is. No amount of reps is going to make Gabriel taller or stronger. He might get better as a play processor, but even if that’s the case, he doesn’t seem to have a franchise-QB ceiling.
NEXT: Insider Sheds Light On Kevin Stefanski, Andrew Berry's Future
