"Horrible coach"; “He is an idiot”: NFL fans rip Kevin Stefanski for picking Dillon Gabriel over Shedeur Sanders as Browns QB1 fails vs. Patriots

The frustration surrounding Shedeur Sanders' role with the Cleveland Browns intensified after Browns starter Dillon Gabriel's underwhelming showing against the New England Patriots on Sunday.

Gabriel, who has been named the starter by Browns coach Kevin Stefanski after benching Joe Flacco in Week 4, struggled against the Patriots. The rookie quarterback completed 21 of his 35 attempts with 156 passing yards, two touchdown passes and two interceptions as the Browns fell to a 32-13 defeat.

NFL fans lashed out at Stefanski for his decision to name Gabriel QB1 over fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders.

"So glad to see Kevin Stefanski get EXPOSED dude is a horrible coach don't know why he loves Dillon Gabriel but he isn't it!!! Hire a new coach new season and play sheduer!!!! #NFL #browns."

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"Kevin Stefanski is an idiot."

"He’s awful. Can’t see the field, not accurate, and throws nothing but check downs. Can’t wait for Stefanski’s presser. “We have to play better, we have to coach better, it’s on me.” Hey Kevin, it’s time for Sanders!!!"

"Please stop this embarrassment! It’s time to make the hard, but vital decision at BYE. Kevin CAN’T call plays Gabriel CAN’T throw. Get rid of Stefanski. Move on to Shedeur. Give this team some life! Offseason… tear it down from the top."

"I cannot watch another snap called by Kevin Stefanski with Dillon Gabriel under center."

"Kevin Stefanski I’m not sure if you’re deliberately trying to get fired. But cmon man. Dillion aint the answer and you know that."

The Browns moved on from veteran quarterback Joe Flacco by trading him to the Cincinnati Bengals earlier this month. Gabriel has been the designated starter since then with Sanders as his backup.

Browns rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel struggled amid Shedeur Sanders' back issue

Dillon Gabriel headed into the game after a strong performance against the Miami Dolphins last week. However, he failed to replicate that performance against the Patriots.

Kevin Stefanski didn't have Shedeur Sanders at his disposal as the former Colorado star is suffering from a back issue and was named on the team's inactive list before Sunday's game. Bailey Zappe was named Gabriel's backup in Sanders' absence.

About the author

Chaitanya Prakash is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game.

Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya's curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America's favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya's favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista's iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players' self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

Know More

Cleveland Browns Nation! Check out the latest Cleveland Browns Schedule and dive into the Browns Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.

Edited by Chaitanya Prakash