The Cleveland Browns are turning to rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel to take over following the struggles of Joe Flacco in hopes he can help lead them to more wins (Cleveland has a 1-3 record this season).
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski also announced that Shedeur Sanders, the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer and Colorado football coach Deion Sanders, will stay in his role as the No. 3 and emergency quarterback. Meanwhile, it’s been reported that Deshaun Watson is able to return to practice but he’s still sidelined with an Achilles injury.
Cleveland has a lot of quarterbacks, and there are a lot of people who want to talk to Sanders about the situation. But why are reporters so interested in Sanders given he’s inactive on game days? That’s a good question, and one that a former NFL head coach has some strong feeling about.
After the news broke, Sanders, selected by the Browns with the 144th overall pick in the fifth round, appeared to be joking with reporters about it and pretended to be a mime while reporters tried to get his thoughts on the team’s QB move.
On Friday, former NFL head coach Bruce Arians was a guest on the “Up & Adams” show and he was asked about Sanders’ awkward moment with the press.
“Why is the third quarterback getting interviews?” Arians told Adams. “He had nothing to do with the game. It’s all for media clicks. He’s a heck of a personality. But the personality can’t come out until you do something on the field. It’s a big week for Dillon Gabriel and a big week for the Browns, making that transition. For him to be available to the press, I don’t know why he’s doing it.”
Arians also blamed the Browns’ public relations staff a bit for letting reporters be able to directly question Sanders in a situation like the one that happened this week.
Arians also pointed out that most third-string quarterbacks don’t get nearly as much media attention as Sanders, who hasn’t even played one regular-season snap yet.
Read More: Ex-Browns QB Says Locker Room Prefers Shedeur Sanders Over Dillon Gabriel
Stefanski told reporters during the week why the team continues to employ a crowded quarterback room.
“The big thing for us, it goes back to that intentionality of what we do,” Stefanski said, according to ESPN. “That’s [quarterbacks coach] Bill Musgrave, that’s [offensive coordinator] Tommy Rees, that’s our player development team.
“Everybody understanding that we’re bringing our guys along. And it may, on one day, mean meetings, may, on one day, mean a physical individual drill — if you will, at practice, while this side’s doing this, these guys are doing that. So, just like, big picture being very intentional about every minute that you have.”
It doesn’t sound as if Stefanski plans to move any of the team’s QBs anytime soon.
Read More: Cleveland Browns Coach Reveals Brutal Shedeur Sanders Reality
