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Chad Johnson Sets His Expectations Straight as Dillon Gabriel Gears Up for NFL Debut

Samnur Reza
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Dillon Gabriel and Chad Johnson

Dillon Gabriel (left) and Chad Johnson (right); Credit – USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Browns just announced that third-round pick Dillon Gabriel is expected to start this Saturday’s preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Gabriel missed the first week of preseason with a hamstring injury, so the word ‘expected’ is all the more significant … Not for Chad Johnson, though.

On the latest episode of Nightcap, host Shannon Sharpe read out a report that Gabriel will be examined for his hamstring on Saturday morning before his NFL debut. The team is optimistic, while analysts like Jeremy Fowler are confident Gabriel will get the start.

Sharpe’s co-host, Johnson, is on the same page, and he made that clear with some bold, explosive words.

“I’m expecting Dillon Gabriel to play. I ain’t trying to hear nothing about no hamstrings … and all that,” Johnson started his banter session.

The former wideout emphasized that Gabriel isn’t fast or explosive enough to worry about a minor hamstring issue. The rookie out of Oregon needs to prove now why he was picked in the third round, ahead of his teammate Shedeur Sanders (picked in the fifth round).

And yes, Sanders, for his part, has shown he can hold his own in the debut preseason game against the Panthers when Gabriel and others were out with injuries or resting.

“I need you to get out there and compete,” Johnson said.

“I wanna see what you look like without the green and gold on. I wanna see what you look like in that Brown when the lights [are] on … when that pressure’s on, especially after what Shedeur was able to do… You’re the third round pick, I need you to go out there and show me why you were the third round pick,” he added.

Gabriel donned the green and gold as a Duck. He started all 14 games for the program in 2024 and has about 63 games of college experience. He has been dubbed one of the top quarterbacks of the 2025 class and in the country, amassing 326 passes for 3,857 yards with 37 combined touchdowns just last season.

The questions now are, can Gabriel perform well against the Eagles? Will his college spark carry over to the NFL? For now, all we can do is wait.

About the author

Samnur Reza

Samnur Reza

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Samnur Reza is an NFL editor for The SportsRush. He holds a degree in English Honors and joined The SportsRush editorial team in 2023. Having previously worked as a freelancer and several media outlets, Samnur has been religiously following the National Football League for the past six and a half years. Samnur first started following football after Tom Brady's cameo in Ted 2. It wasn’t long before he found himself grabbing a bucket of popcorn to enjoy football games. He still vividly remembers his first-ever fixture: a 2011 matchup between the Patriots and Raiders, where Brady led his team to a 31-19 victory. Even so, Samnur believes Brady’s best performance came against the Falcons in Super Bowl LI, a game he still revisits from time to time. Samnur diligently follows most NFL athletes, their family members, and even the NCAA. Thus, he considers himself a diverse writer, having covered almost every corner of the football world. He does, however, have a special interest in athlete-centric stories. Whenever they engage in off-field ventures or charitable activities, Samnur enjoys reading and writing about them. Samnur had already authored over 1000 NFL-based articles before becoming an editor. His editorial journey began just a little over a year ago. Beyond football, Samnur is a true cinephile with an extensive repertoire of films. He’s also fond of cats and has a furry friend named ‘Eva.’ During his free time, Samnur enjoys playing video games, currently immersed in Demon's Souls. Having recently learned how to ride a bike, he now wishes to travel almost everywhere on it.

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