"Yeah he clears Shedeur Sanders": NFL fans react as Dillon Gabriel scores his first TD as Browns starter

Dillon Gabriel is off to a strong start in his first game as the Cleveland Browns QB1 on Sunday. The rookie was promoted to lead the offense after veteran Joe Flacco only managed to guide the team to a 1-3 record.

During the first quarter versus the Minnesota Vikings, Gabriel found Harold Fannin Jr. wide open in the ninth minute for his first NFL touchdown pass.

NFL insider Ian Rapoport posted the clip of the play on X.

"Dillon Gabriel is off and running," Rapoport tweeted.

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Fans shared their reactions in the comments section.

"Yeah he clears Shedeur," a fan wrote. "They really wasted a 5th round draft pick," one fan commented. "Best QB on the Browns roster," another fan wrote.

However, some believe it was Quinshon Judkins who did all the hard work.

"Judkins and the line were the heroes of that drive," one fan said. "You mean Quinshon judkins* he did all the work lol," another fan said.

One fan took the opportunity to take a dig at Shedeur Sanders' response to Gabriel taking the Browns' starting job.

"Browns win, Sanders can fall back on his mime career," the fan tweeted.

The Vikings equalized four minutes later as Cam Akers' pass was caught by Josh Oliver for a 32-yard touchdown. Gabriel has completed 6 of 9 passes for 39 yards and one touchdown in the first 20 minutes. Judkins is having an exceptional game, recording seven carries for 48 yards.

Cleveland desperately needs a win, as a few more losses will push the team to the edge. The Browns are coming off a 3-14 season and are hoping for a postseason run this campaign.

Dillon Gabriel reacts to Shedeur Sanders' silent interview

Shedeur Sanders, who was picked two rounds after Dillon Gabriel in April, was asked to share his opinion about the Browns' quarterback depth chart shakeup. The former Colorado Buffaloes star resorted to gestures and smiles instead of saying anything. Gabriel was also asked about the mute interview ahead of the matchup against the Vikings.

“For me, we’re a team," Gabriel said on Friday, via Sports Illustrated. "We do this as a unit. We can only control what we can control, and I don’t want to speak for anyone in particular.”

Gabriel was Joe Flacco's backup for the first four games, but they swapped places following Cleveland's loss last week to the Kansas City Chiefs. Sanders is still the third-string option; however, many experts and fans were urging the franchise to start him.

Edited by Victor Ramon Galvez