Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski tabbed Dillon Gabriel to start Sunday's Week 5 game against Minnesota in London.
When an enterprising reporter asked No. 3 quarterback, fifth-round draft pick and former Colorado Buffalo Shedeur Sanders for his reaction, he went mute. Literally.
Sanders mimed his response with exaggerated facial and hand gestures but no actual words. When reporters asked him, "What can you actually say about?" He mimed another silent response.
His exaggerated reluctance to say anything could have been a response to being blasted on ESPN's "Get Up" by former NFL coach Rex Ryan, who said, "This kid runs his mouth like, ‘I got could be a starting quarterback,’ with his arms crossed like this. Get your (expletive) in the front row and study and do all that. If I know, the whole league knows," Ryan said on the program. "Quit being an embarrassment that way. You got the talent to be a quarterback. You should be embarrassed that you’re not the quarterback now."
After the Browns named Dillon Gabriel their new starting quarterback, Shedeur Sanders reacted with a full mime:
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 1, 2025
pic.twitter.com/0qa23cpdOb
It might have been better for the rookie quarterback to say something generic, like "I'm just focused on getting better in practice" or I"'m just trying to do what I can to help the ball club" but that's not the Sanders' style.
At Colorado, Sanders compiled a 23-13 record as a starter, throwing for 7,364 yards and 64 touchdowns while being sacked 94 times in two seasons.
Former Duck Gabriel starts Sunday, the 41st Cleveland Browns starting quarterback since the franchise was reestablished in 1999.