Dillon Gabriel faced Browns media Wednesday and they asked how he felt about getting the call to start Sunday when Cleveland takes on 2-2 Minnesota in London, 6:30 a.m. PT on the NFL Network.
His answer sounded like he was listening to one of those Monday morning mindset talks from Dan Lanning.
"I think it's funny because I got a text from a good buddy of mine. He sent me a picture of a fire station," Gabriel said.
"When he sends it, he lists the obvious. The doors are open. The garage doors are open. Things are ready to go. They're just waiting on that phone call to respond surgically."
"What a great representation. The job I have, just being ready for that moment."
"I smile because it's a moment you would prep for. You are extremely excited for but you also got to realize that it's extreme focus."
"And that's what I've continued to harp on. You wait for the perfect time, you're going to wait a whole lifetime. So, for me, I'm just I've always been ready for every moment."
“You wait for the perfect time, you’re going to be waiting your whole life,” - Dillon Gabriel on starting… pic.twitter.com/KnyKbm9Tf3
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) October 1, 2025
Duck fans can almost picture Dan Lanning standing in front of the room, showing the slide of a turned-out, shipshape firehouse.
"I think from the beginning, it's the moment you look forward to as a competitor," Gabriel said. "But it's part of my job to be ready – to be that sense of hope for everyone to continue to be better, and come together, and create momentum for each other. So, excited for that, but just also extremely focused at doing my job at a high level."
Some observers took Gabriel's comments as another subtle jab at Cleveland's No. 3 quarterback, fifth-round draft pick Shedeur Sanders, whose rap song "Perfect Timing" came out in 2024.
Media and sports talk shows set off a minor firestorm during preseason over Gabriel speaking about "entertainers and competitors" during a sideline interview after his first pro start in a preseason game against Philadelphia. Some thought that was aimed at Sanders too.
Whatever rivalry exists between the two first-year quarterbacks, it'll be settled on the field. The Browns are 1-3 this year after going 3-14 last year and employing 40 different starting quarterbacks since 1999. You could say the team is desperate to find a reliable fire chief.