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Ex-NFL QB Faces Backlash for Making Dillon Gabriel Claim

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jeremy Beren | Last updated Jun 11, 2025 3:14 PM ET

Kurt Benkert is a former NFL quarterback, but he has gained far more fame — and notoriety — for his exploits away from the gridiron.

Benkert played one NFL game, kneeling on the ball to close a 45-30 win for the Green Bay Packers over the Chicago Bears on Dec. 12, 2021. But he has become well-known for his YouTube channel, which boasts 349,000 subscribers, as well as for establishing The Dime Lab — an online store that sells different types of footballs for recreational play.

Benkert recently chimed in on the Cleveland Browns' ongoing quarterback battle, which has seen rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel fight for reps in the months leading up to the 2025 NFL season. It may be a four-way battle between the rookies and veteran options Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett, but Gabriel — a third-round pick out of Oregon — is facing an uphill battle to make the Browns' roster.

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To that end, Benkert on Monday cited a "source" when claiming that the Miami Dolphins might be interested in trading for Gabriel if he isn't in the Browns' long-term plans. Benkert explained the Dolphins liked Gabriel in April's draft, and head coach Mike McDaniel sees him as an "incredible scheme fit."

Benkert's foray into reporting has not been greeted warmly, as fans on Instagram called into question the idea that the Dolphins would deal assets for another quarterback, mere months after drafting Quinn Ewers to compete as Tua Tagovailoa's backup.

"Who the (expletive) uses Kurt Benkert as a reputable source," asked @patrick._.dobbins.

"Did Kurt say this randomly while he was playing Madden," asked @garrett_a92, referring to a standard form of content found on Benkert's YouTube channel.

A couple commenters, @ryancbolar and @zayisbttr, remarked that the Dolphins already had Ewers and did not need to carry another rookie signal-caller. Even former NFL cornerback Charles James II cast doubt on Benkert's viability as a source for breaking news, saying "who tf is Kurt Benkert and how is he a source worth listening to."

Benkert himself attempted to clarify his initial tweet, saying "The Dolphins believed they’d be able to get him (Gabriel) slightly later." But the furor goes to show that Benkert has a long way to go to gain fans' trust and respect if he is going to break news.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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