Here comes Dillon Gabriel: A 'Tommy Boy' reference, 'youthful exuberance' and extreme confidence

Dillon Gabriel will be the 41st quarterback to start a game for the Browns since their return in 1999. He'll be the 10th just since 2023.Without taking a snap, the rookie already stands alone among the masses.He's the first from Hawaii. He's the first left-hander. He's the first to be a six-year starter in college.He'll also be the first rookie to make his first NFL start in an international game when the Browns "host" the Vikings on Sunday morning at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.Browns-Vikings: 3 things to watch, 3 key numbers, the prediction"With Dillon, he's unique and he's very mature, but also his college career was like no other in terms of experience," said coach Kevin Stefanski, who dropped a "Tommy Boy" reference when discussing Gabriel's six years in college. "He's like Tom Callahan's son. He's got a lot of experience that he can lean on in these moments."Stefanski benched 40-year-old Joe Flacco in favor of Gabriel this week. Such a move could be met with resentment, or at least hesitation, from veterans focused on winning. But the switch seemed to go over well inside the locker room. Part of that was the offense's inability to score with Flacco — 14 points a game, 31st in the NFL — and the 1-3 record. But Gabriel has a lot to do with the positive reaction."We got full confidence in Dillon," safety Grant Delpit said. "He's done a good job of staying ready, staying prepared, and it's a good opportunity for him to really show his craft and really prove people wrong. Prove people right that supported him, prove himself right."He might not have the height, he's a lefty, it's different. So going out that first game international, man, is not a better way he could do it."The players voted Flacco a season-long captain before the season and believed he provided the best chance for success. They seem to be embracing the change as they search for a spark to ignite the offense and give the No. 1 defense the support it needs to win games.Teammates excited to see competitive, mobile Dillon Gabriel make 1st start"He just has a youthful exuberance," defensive end Myles Garrett said of Gabriel, 24. "He brings up a just a different vibe, different attitude and he just always has a smile on his face. He's got a lot of energy and looking forward to seeing how he moves around the pocket and how he plays the game."Perhaps it's all the time and success in college — second in FBS history with 18,722 passing yards and 155 passing touchdowns and No. 1 with 189 total touchdowns — or always having to prove himself as a short quarterback, or just who he is. But Gabriel's confidence is obvious and allows teammates to trust him."He just runs the offense like this is his offense and that's all you can ask for from any quarterback," Garrett said. "He comes out smile on his face, chest out, gives a call, and it looks like he's been doing it for years, the way he manages the offense. So I'm looking forward to him doing the same thing on Sunday."Gabriel missed the first preseason game with a hamstring injury and went through rough stretches at the start of the offseason program and training camp. He never wavered in the belief in himself, and the coaches continued to give him reps with the ones because they liked what they were seeing behind the scenes and with his decision-making, even if the accuracy was lacking at times."There's a lot of comfort in the scheme because that's part of why they got me here is I've done it before, and I think the confidence in that is now you're learning new personnel, new people, but you come together and have ultimate confidence in the whole concepts that we run," said Gabriel, who has played two series at the end of blowouts.The biggest knock on Gabriel is he's undersized at 5-foot-11 and 205 pounds. The Browns said he didn't get balls batted down in college and made plays from a crowded pocket. He made up for the lack of height with quick decisions, a quick release and tight spirals loaded with juice."I haven't noticed anything about his height," left guard Joel Bitonio said. "I know it's been a big talking point, but from what I've seen in practice and in games, it hasn't really affected him yet."The left-handed twist is interesting, even if it isn't much of a factor. Bitonio believes he's played with 21 starting quarterbacks in his 12 seasons, and none has been a southpaw. The only noteworthy lefty in Browns history is Paul McDonald, who was a fourth-round pick in 1980 and started 21 games in six seasons with the team."I don't think I've played with a left-hand quarterback in my career, or college or high school. It's a new thing for all of us," Bitonio said. "But I think play-wise we have most of the things in both ways. So it's not a huge deal for us, but it'll be interesting to see."Coordinator Tommy Rees said it takes an adjustment from game plan and play calling perspectives."You're so used to right-handed guys, you even think like, 'all right, we want this going right.' So you have to flip your mind a little bit on certain calls and certain things," he said. "But we do train our guys to have to do a keeper left, do a keeper right."So, for Dillon, he's done all these things. Are there certain things here and there that you got to maybe think about? Sure. But it really doesn't change a lot in what you're doing."Gabriel will be charged with getting No. 1 receiver Jerry Jeudy going. He's struggled with drops through four games and has just 13 catches for 182 yards and no touchdowns. He played with Tua Tagovailoa at Alabama, so he knows his way around a lefty."It just spins the opposite way," Jeudy said of the passesGabriel's intense focus and dedication to preparation should serve him well in a week filled with challenges, distractions and abnormalities. The Browns had a walkthrough instead of a full-speed practice Thursday after flying overnight. The Vikings defense is led by coordinator Brian Flores, who has had success confusing quarterbacks young and old. Gabriel's family wasn't able to get to London on short notice."Fun fact, need to get my dad a passport," he said. "We're learning about that. Second, just a little later in the week. So Mom and Dad is from Hawaii. You can imagine that flight is even further than what we just did."He'd be a "liar" if he said this week wasn't "different" and he never thought about making his first start across the pond."There's a first for everything," Gabriel said. "It ain't ever going to be perfect but the preparation is key and go out there and do what you do."We're blessed, we're grateful, we play a beautiful game, we'll be able to do it in front of new fans and that's what football is all about. The diversity, the amount of people that love this game and are around it, there's beauty in that and that's what I'm most appreciative of."He got texts from all the coaches throughout his career. The message was consistent."It's not a text of congratulations of some sort. It's like, it's your time to go show the world," Gabriel said.The post Here comes Dillon Gabriel: A 'Tommy Boy' reference, 'youthful exuberance' and extreme confidence first appeared on BrownsZone with Scott Petrak.