On Sunday at Huntington Bank Field, Cleveland Browns starter Dillon Gabriel left the game in the first half with an apparent concussion and did not return, paving the way for rookie backup Shedeur Sanders to take his first regular-season NFL snaps. Gabriel completed 7 of 10 passes for 68 yards before the injury; the Browns led 16-10 at halftime courtesy of three field goals and a 23-yard interception return for a touchdown by Devin Bush. Sanders entered late in the second quarter after Gabriel was evaluated and immediately completed a 5-yard throw to Cedric Tillman on his opening snap, though the drive stalled and Sanders later fumbled on a sack by Kyle Hamilton. The team has not yet issued a definitive status update on Gabriel’s condition beyond the in-game evaluation.
- Dillon Gabriel left the Ravens game with an apparent concussion and did not start the second half while being evaluated by team medical staff.
- Gabriel’s first-half line: 7 completions on 10 attempts for 68 yards; Cleveland led 16-10 at halftime.
- Shedeur Sanders took his first official regular-season NFL snaps, completing a 5-yard pass to Cedric Tillman on his first play.
- Sanders fumbled after a third-down sack by Baltimore safety Kyle Hamilton; the Browns recovered the fumble later in the sequence.
- Sanders was officially active for Week 6 after dropping into the fifth round of the draft; Gabriel was a third-round pick and assumed the starting role after Joe Flacco was traded to Cincinnati.
- The Browns entered the matchup having lost five of their previous six games; their next opponent is the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium.
- Head coach Kevin Stefanski had previously stated he was not ready to start Sanders over Gabriel despite offensive struggles.
Background
The Browns addressed quarterback depth this offseason by drafting Dillon Gabriel in the third round and Shedeur Sanders in the fifth, creating a planned QB succession that changed when Cleveland traded Joe Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals. Gabriel was installed as the starter but has produced uneven results, and the Browns’ offense has struggled alongside a broader run of club inconsistency. Sanders’ path to the roster was complicated by a disruptive pre-draft process that saw him slide in the draft; Cleveland’s decision to keep both young quarterbacks reflected a desire to balance development and competition.
Entering Week 6, Cleveland had lost five of six games, intensifying scrutiny of the offense and heightening the consequences of any injury to the starting quarterback. NFL concussion protocols require immediate removal for evaluation when a player shows signs of head trauma; teams must then follow standardized testing before clearing a player to return. The Browns’ medical and coaching staff therefore faced an urgent in-game decision when Gabriel showed symptoms consistent with a concussion.
Main Event
Gabriel’s exit came late in the first half; he did not return after halftime while the team completed an in-game evaluation for a suspected concussion. Prior to leaving, Gabriel connected on 7 of 10 throws for 68 yards, but Cleveland’s offense produced no touchdown drives in the opening period. The halftime margin favored the Browns 16-10, boosted by three field goals and a defensive touchdown — Devin Bush’s 23-yard interception return in the second quarter.
Sanders was activated for the game and was sent onto the field after the Browns forced a quick stop to open the second half. On his very first regular-season snap he completed a 5-yard pass to Cedric Tillman, demonstrating immediate command of the offense design. The drive, however, stalled: on third down Sanders was brought down and lost the ball on contact with Kyle Hamilton registering the sack and forcible turnover; the Browns later recovered the loose ball but were unable to convert the sequence into points.
Coaching staff managed the situation under league protocols, with trainers and medical evaluators present as Gabriel was assessed. The Browns did not release a full medical update during the game; they listed Gabriel as out for the second half while evaluation continued. With Cleveland’s offense already under pressure in the standings, the team’s immediate personnel choices were central to both the remainder of the game and short-term planning.
Analysis & Implications
Injury to a starting quarterback shifts both strategy and roster planning. If Gabriel is ruled out for additional games under concussion protocol, the Browns will face a pivot point: whether to keep a veteran game plan designed for Gabriel or to tailor the offense to Sanders’ strengths. Sanders’ limited in-game sample—his first snap completion followed by a fumble on a sack—offers only a narrow basis for projecting immediate performance, but it does place him in line to start if Gabriel remains unavailable.
Beyond the single-week impact, the episode raises questions about Cleveland’s quarterback succession and roster construction. Gabriel’s third-round selection and subsequent elevation to starter after the Flacco trade suggested the team favored him as the near-term answer; Sanders’ drafting in Round 5 indicated a longer-term developmental investment. An extended absence for Gabriel could accelerate Sanders’ evaluation under real-game conditions and influence offseason roster decisions.
From a standings and fan-expectation perspective, the Browns’ five-loss stretch entering Sunday increases the pressure on any replacement quarterback. A rookie starter at Allegiant Stadium next weekend would face a hostile environment in Las Vegas and the immediate need to manage an offense that has struggled to sustain drives. How the coaching staff adjusts play-calling and protection schemes will be a key determinant of whether a backup can keep Cleveland competitive in the short term.
Comparison & Data
| Player | Snaps | Completions | Attempts | Yards | Turnovers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dillon Gabriel (1H) | Limited (starter) | 7 | 10 | 68 | 0 |
| Shedeur Sanders (first snaps) | Partial (entered late 2Q) | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 fumble |
The simple box above contrasts Gabriel’s early-game efficiency and Sanders’ single-drive sample. Gabriel’s 70% completion rate in the first half (7-of-10) produced 68 yards but no touchdowns; Sanders’ initial completion was offset by a turnover after pressure on a third-down play. These immediate numbers emphasize that a single snap sample is insufficient to grade a quarterback’s future trajectory; context—opponent pressure, play-calling, and protection—matters for interpretation.
Reactions & Quotes
“Gabriel did not come out with the Browns to start the second half while he was being evaluated for a concussion.”
Yahoo Sports (game report)
“Sanders took the field for the first time during the regular season in his NFL career.”
Yahoo Sports (game report)
“The Browns entered the game having lost five of their last six, increasing the stakes for any quarterback change.”
Yahoo Sports (analysis)
Unconfirmed
- Exact moment and play when Gabriel sustained the concussion-like symptoms have not been publicly specified by the team.
- Gabriel’s official diagnostic results and clearance timeline for the next game against the Las Vegas Raiders remain unreported.
- It is not yet confirmed whether Cleveland will alter its offensive game plan if Sanders is named the starter next weekend.
Bottom Line
Dillon Gabriel’s early exit with a suspected concussion forced the Browns into an immediate quarterback contingency, giving Shedeur Sanders a brief, rocky first look in regular-season action. The substitution matters both for Sunday’s competitive outlook and for short-term roster decisions: if Gabriel’s concussion keeps him out of next week’s game, Sanders could make his first start at Allegiant Stadium against the Raiders. That scenario would accelerate evaluation of the rookie under pressure and could influence Cleveland’s personnel strategy.
Until the Browns release a formal medical update, conclusions should remain provisional. Coaches must balance protecting player health under league concussion rules with the competitive urgency of a team that has lost five of six. For fans and evaluators, the coming days—medical reports, practice participation and the Week 7 injury designation—will be the clearest indicators of whether Sanders’ role is temporary cover or the start of a longer experiment.