The Cleveland Browns flew across the Atlantic looking for a fresh start, but by the time they left Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday, the same questions followed them home.
Rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel impressed for most of his NFL debut, yet the Browns still crumbled late, falling 21-17 to the Minnesota Vikings.
Shedeur Sanders shares bad haircut blunder for Browns’ London game
Now, with Cleveland sitting at 1-4 and frustration boiling over, fans, and a few media voices, are calling for one man: Shedeur Sanders.
For nearly three quarters, Gabriel’s debut looked like the start of something new. The third-round pick out of Oregon threw two touchdowns, posted a 94.3 passer rating, and showed the kind of composure that had earned him a surprise promotion over veteran Joe Flacco.
But when the game tightened, so did the Browns’ offense. Four consecutive empty drives in the final quarter doomed Cleveland’s chance at a statement win, and reignited the ongoing conversation about quarterback stability.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski’s late-game decisions once again drew scrutiny. Holding a 17-14 lead with under eight minutes left, the Browns chose to lean on the run game rather than their rookie’s hot hand.
The result: eight runs for 30 yards, a total of 6:38 drained off the clock, and no points to show for it.
On the team’s final possession, with victory still within reach, Cleveland’s offense gained negative yardage and punted after just 22 seconds of game time.
Gabriel steady, but spotlight shifts toward Shedeur Sanders
Gabriel’s stat line hardly reflected the outcome. He completed 19 of 33 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns, avoided turnovers, and showed poise against one of the league’s more aggressive defenses. For a first start, it was everything Cleveland could have asked for – except the win.
“He looked like he usually does,” Garrett said. “Composed, making the plays we know he can make. He put us in position to win. We have to help ourselves out.”
But help hasn’t been easy to find in Cleveland, where quarterback turnover has become a constant. And as Gabriel shoulders blame for a loss many feel wasn’t entirely his fault, the attention is turning toward Shedeur Sanders, the team’s developmental third-string quarterback and son of Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders.
Sanders hasn’t played a down this season, but his name is already making the rounds in Cleveland.
The 2025 draft pick, known for his accuracy and calm demeanor, recently found himself in headlines after a viral “silent interview” where he mimed answers rather than speaking, which sparked confusion about his attitude.
According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Sanders later met with Browns officials to clear the air, explaining that his actions were misunderstood.
Stefanski under pressure as frustration builds
While Gabriel’s inexperience makes him an easy scapegoat, most of the blame has fallen on Stefanski and his staff for another late-game meltdown. The Browns’ offense produced just 29 total yards in the fourth quarter and went 3-for-15 on third downs.
Missed opportunities, including a costly holding penalty on tackle KT Leveston, kept the Vikings within reach, and Carson Wentz took full advantage, marching Minnesota 80 yards in 10 plays for the winning score.
“Everything we did right for three quarters, we stopped doing in the fourth,” one veteran Browns player told reporters anonymously. “That’s on all of us, but it starts with coaching.”
