"White dude no one has heard of": Steve Harvey takes shots at Dillon Gabriel while making case for Shedeur Sanders' start

The Cleveland Browns selected Shedeur Sanders in the 2025 NFL draft after the former Colorado star's controversial slide to the fifth round. However, their association has been less than ideal.

Shedeur Sanders is third in the pecking order on the Browns' quarterback depth chart, with veteran Joe Flacco being the starter and Dillion Gabriel his backup. But comedian and TV host Steve Harvey is displeased by the quarterback room and the underutilization of Sanders.

Harvey, a "lifelong Browns fan," flamed Flacco and Gabriel on "The Pivot Podcast," after Cleveland's 0-2 start to the season.

"Joe Flacco is gonna play a few games and his old a** is gonna get hurt," Harvey said. "You just can't be 40 and run that fast from all these people. He is going to get hurt.

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"Then we are going to this white dude (Dillon Gabriel) that no one has ever heard of until draft day, we've never heard of him."

Harvey hoped for Sanders to get a chance ahead of Gabriel and potentially Flacco after his underwhelming start to the season, however, he won't be surprised if the quarterback is traded.

“So I am praying to god that Shedeur gets an opportunity to show what he really can do. And I think that would be the best thing but knowing the Cleveland Browns, their dumba*** is gonna trade him."

Steve Harvey talked about Shedeur Sanders' infamous draft slide

During the podcast, Steve Harvey also hinted at the popular theory that suggested the NFL owners contributed to Shedeur Sanders' draft slide.

"Why Shedeur lasted this long in the draft is beyond me, but it's okay, everybody knows what was done," Harvey said.

While Harvey alluded to the theory, recent reports have claimed that Sanders turned down being drafted by one of the contenders, the Baltimore Ravers.

Former NFL quarterback Alex Smith blasted Sanders for his decision on "Sunday NFL Countdown."

“I think this is insane. ... At this point, you're in the fifth round. I understand you had higher hopes, but you've dropped to the fifth round and you're thinking about being a starting quarterback the next year.

"I think this is incredibly shortsighted. ... You want to go to a good organization where you can develop and reach your potential,” Smith said.

While Sanders' future in Cleveland remains uncertain, ESPN Cleveland’s Aaron Goldhammer said he could get some time on the field when they take on the Minnesota Vikings in London next month.

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