How Browns' Dillon Gabriel handled criticisms from NFL Draft through training camp

Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel was the subject of numerous criticisms from the moment the Browns drafted him in the third round in 2025 until some training-camp performances he may prefer to forget. 

Gabriel is now preparing to make his first regular-season start when the 1-3 Browns face the 2-2 Minnesota Vikings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Sunday. While speaking with reporters on Friday, Gabriel addressed how he has dealt with the comments people have made about him over the past five months. 

Dillon Gabriel would "rather be uninformed than misinformed"

"For me, I’ve always lived by, I’d rather be uninformed than misinformed," Gabriel explained, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "Everyone has the right to their opinion, and I understand that. But instead of, I don’t necessarily block out the noise. I just choose not to be a part of it. And I think that’s just a singular focus, and emotional regulation of there’s a job to do, and there’s something that you just want to focus on and do it at a high level. So that’s what I do. I respect everyone’s opinion, and everyone can say whatever they want. That’s freedom of speech." 

Numerous mock drafts projected that Gabriel would be a third-day pick before Cleveland made him the 94th choice. He then became somewhat of an unpopular figure among Browns fans when the club took a flier on former Colorado Buffaloes star Shedeur Sanders in the draft's fifth round. 

At least one Browns reporter said in August that Gabriel was "not good" in training camp practices and was "not an NFL quarterback." Gabriel then completed 25-of-37 passes for 272 yards with a touchdown and an interception during preseason play to win the QB2 gig over Sanders. 

Dillon Gabriel opens up about unique NFL experience

Even after Gabriel was named Cleveland's starter this week, it was Sanders who went viral for how he handled reporters' questions inside the team's locker room on Wednesday. That's somewhat par for the course for the Browns' new QB1. 

"You know, it’s been my journey," Gabriel added on Friday. "It’s unorthodox. How funny is it that I’m starting here in London? An unorthodox beginning. I’ve just played a lot of ball, been around a lot of different people, lot of different situations. Everything for me is never too high, never too low. Nothing surprises me at this point. There’s a job to be done and I want to do it at the highest level."

As of Friday afternoon, ESPN BET had the Browns as 3.5-point underdogs against the Vikings. It sounds like Gabriel wouldn't have it any other way heading into his first start.