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Cleveland Browns quarterback DIllon Gabriel has been in the headlines for the wrong reasons.
Cam Newton issued a warning to Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel regarding outside voices creating unwanted attention.
Gabriel is currently serving as the backup in Cleveland, behind high-profile fifth-round pick Shedeur Sanders, who took over after Gabriel suffered a concussion. Sanders is set to make his third straight start this week.
Gabriel ended up in the headlines for the wrong reasons this week when his fiancée, Zoe Caswell, drew criticism for several posts following Cleveland’s Week 13 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Newton gave some advice to Gabriel and his fiancée.
“I have to make a public service announcement — whether you’re the girlfriend, the mama, the uncle, the partner, or the enemy. Someone close to the source or someone far away,” Newton said. “I’m going to give you some words to live by while that source still has the opportunity to play. … Do not make it about you. Once you do that, you open up a crevice you can’t even shut.”
Caswell: I Support the Browns Regardless of QB
Caswell became the subject of online backlash after posting a TikTok video captioned, “Browns lost what’s new,” followed by a laughing emoji. Many viewers interpreted the comment as a jab at Sanders. A later reply from Caswell escalated the reaction.
“Actually everyone in the building wants him to play. But you wouldn’t know that because you’ve never played in the NFL or been a [coach] right,” she wrote in response to one user.
Caswell later issued a clarifying message, saying her comments were made jokingly and that she had been targeted with harassing private messages.
“To the people commenting and DMing me disgusting things, you are insanely uninformed and have no clue what you are talking about,” Caswell said. “I support the Browns and whoever is playing 100%. I would joke about us losing when Dillon was playing or not. Please take a joke and calm down. Thanks.”
Cam Newton Backs Dillon Gabriel Amid Browns Drama
Newton — a former No. 1 overall pick — understands that situations like Gabriel’s can stick to a player quickly, fair or not.
“Do not ever become a distraction,” Newton said. “What you do won’t impact you. It will impact the source you are connected to. When you say something questionable and try to throw the rock and hide your head, it’s always going to come back to your mans.
“Dillon Gabriel is a great guy. But the world don’t know because their first interaction with him comes by way of the plus-one,” Newton said. “If you can keep the main thing the main thing, and show your support silently without your mouth, thumb or pointer finger, we’ll be good to go.”
For now, Gabriel will focus on navigating his reduced role in Cleveland. He went 1–5 as a starter, totaling 937 yards with seven touchdowns and two interceptions. His path forward is uncertain, particularly with Shedeur Sanders set to start Sunday against the Tennessee Titans and veteran Deshaun Watson recently returning to practice. Cleveland also holds two first-round picks in next year’s draft, providing flexibility to pursue a long-term answer at quarterback.
J.R. DeGroote JR DeGroote is a staff writer for Heavy.com, where he has covered the NFL, NBA, and trending sports stories since 2019. His work focuses on some of the most passionate fanbases in sports, including reporting on the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Lakers. More about J.R. DeGroote
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