The starting quarterback battle for the Cleveland Browns is over, but the drama is not.
Shedeur Sanders spoke publicly for the first time since teammate Dillon Gabriel’s comments about ‘entertainers and competitors’ during the Browns preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Many thought Gabriel’s words were a direct shot across the bow to Sanders.
“There’s entertainers and there’s competitors, and I totally understand that,” Gabriel said during a midgame interview.
“And my job is to compete, and that’s what I’m focused on doing. Of course, we’re doing this (interview) midgame, but it’s something that I’ll get used to and I just want to be the best teammate that I can (be) and create an environment where we can all go do our best work. That’s all we want to do.”
Was Gabriel taking a not-so-subtle dig at his teammate and his flashy ways?
After personally speaking with Gabriel himself, Sanders didn’t believe the comments were personally directed at him, or at least he was almost positive they weren’t.
When Sanders was asked if he thought Gabriel was referring to him, Sanders shrugged.
“Honestly, I don’t. I don’t even think about nothing,” Sanders said. “I don’t think about anything if it’s not words or anything.
“You know, at this point, (it) can’t do anything to me, you know, I know. God put the ability and the power within me to not even think about nobody else’s comments, not care.
“It is what it is. I spoke with him, he said, ‘Nah, that it wasn’t.’ He told me on the plane, he came up, he was like, ‘Nah, bro, that wasn’t that. Y’all see how they trying to spin it.’
“I’m like, ‘All right, I’m not tripping.’ Regardless of whatever it was, I don’t. Nobody’s words or anything affects me.


Sanders was asked point blank if he believed what Gabriel was telling him.
“Did I believe him? Yeah. I mean, I feel like (the reporter is) trying to start stuff,” Sanders said jokingly.
“He’s doing his job. He’s supposed to do. I feel like he did. I don’t know. And that’s not on me to sit here and be like, ‘Oh, he did. He didn’t.’ That’s not gonna change my life in any way.”
Does it matter one way or another at this point? No, not really.
Joe Flacco has won the QB1 battle, and it remains to be seen how the rest of the roster, specifically the quarterback room shakes out.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski has confirmed that Sanders will play in the Browns’ preseason finale against the Los Angeles Rams.
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Sanders and Gabriel have both had their moments over the last month and a half, while Kenny Pickett has nursed a hamstring injury that has kept him out of every preseason game.
How Sanders plays in the preseason finale could go a long way when it’s time for roster cuts shortly after.
While neither rookie won the starting role, both are in the running to be the backup quarterback, along with Tyler Huntley, and at worst QB3.
However, get down to QB4 territory, and that’s when the chopping block comes into play. Time will tell what the Browns roster looks like come Week 1, but for Sanders and Gabriel, they have one last chance to make a case to stay.