The Cleveland Browns announced a big change ahead of Week 5, as they will be benching veteran quarterback Joe Flacco in favor of third-round rookie Dillon Gabriel. The move drew a lot of attention from fans, but nobody had a bigger reaction than fifth-round rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
After his highly publicized fall down the board in the 2025 NFL Draft, Sanders’ stint with the Browns has been one of the biggest storylines of the new season. And that won’t be changing after his controversial response to Gabriel being named the team’s starter over him, which resulted in former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky putting him on blast.
Dan Orlovsky Calls Out Shedeur Sanders
During his time in college playing for his father, NFL legend Deion Sanders, with the Colorado Buffaloes, Shedeur developed a reputation for being a very confident player. While that confidence was sometimes unjustified, he was still considered a top quarterback, which made his fall in the 2025 draft all the more surprising.
Still, even with his low draft billing, Sanders was expected to have an opportunity to carve out a role for himself in the Browns‘ quarterback room since they don’t exactly have a long-term answer at the position. Given that Gabriel was selected before him, though, it’s not much of a surprise that he is getting the first crack at replacing Flacco under center.
Sanders has remained steadfast in his belief that he can be a starter in the pros, and when asked about Gabriel being pegged the starter over him in Week 5, Sanders responded by pantomiming his answers to reporters, which was done in response to critical comments former NFL head coach Rex Ryan made about him earlier this week. Unsurprisingly, this caught a lot of folks’ attention, and it’s not a move that Orlovsky is a fan of.
“I actually don’t think there is a time and place to act like that as a quarterback,” Orlovsky admitted on “Get Up.” “My question to Shedeur would be, ‘Are you helping yourself in your own building? Did that 30 or 40 seconds help you in your own building when it comes to what they think you can be in the future?’ And then, ‘Did you help yourself outside your own building?'”
What Should the Browns Do with Shedeur Sanders Moving Forward?
Getty ImagesCleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders will remain the No. 3 option.
The Browns suddenly find themselves in a sticky situation with Sanders. It’s one thing when he’s creating storylines without really doing anything to draw attention, but now, he’s going out of his way to create issues for the team. Regardless of his intentions, there’s no doubt his response to Gabriel starting in Week 5 has caused a stir in Cleveland.
Sanders simply wants a chance to show what he’s capable of on the field, but his way of going about it likely hasn’t earned him any fans within the Browns‘ building. For now, the team is rolling with Gabriel, but if Sanders continues to make a scene, the front office may have to make a decision on his future with the team. All eyes will be on Cleveland when they take on the Minnesota Vikings in London, England, on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. ET.
