Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel has denied he was referring to his teammate Shedeur Sanders when he aimed a jab at “entertainers” in the NFL.
“There’s entertainers and there’s competitors, and I totally understand that. But my job is to compete. And that’s what I’m focused on doing,” Gabriel told CBS from the sidelines during the Browns’ preseason victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday. Gabriel completed 13 of 18 passes for 143 yards and an interception.
Many on social media thought the comment was a reference to Sanders, the son of hall of famer Deion Sanders, who has received huge amounts of media attention since the Browns took him in the fifth round of this year’s draft. The Browns picked Gabriel in the third round of the same draft and the duo are in a battle with Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett to win the starter’s job this season. Flacco is expected to start in Cleveland’s opening game, but Sanders was impressive in his preseason debut last week before an oblique injury forced him to miss Saturday’s game.
“I’m all about our team and each other,” Gabriel said after Saturday’s game. “I would never make that [comment about Sanders] and I’ve said it before that’s why it’s interesting, but for me I’ve explained it entertainers are you all, competitor, that’s what I am, and all my teammates and we both have jobs to do, so that’s it.”
