With the Browns, a funhouse mirror of American life, perception is often reality. When quarterback Dillon Gabriel declared himself a competitor rather than an entertainer during Cleveland's 22–13 preseason win over the Eagles Saturday, many interpreted his statement out of context as a shot at celebrity teammate Shedeur Sanders.

Gabriel did not mean it that way, he clarified after the game Saturday.

"All you in this room are entertainers, and you have a job do, and I respect it," Gabriel told reporters. "I'm a competitor, so I have a job to do as well."

The ex-Oregon quarterback completed 13 of his 18 pass attempts for 143 yards and an interception Saturday as Sanders—the subject of an avalanche of positive press after a rock-solid Aug. 8 performance against the Panthers—missed the game due to an injury.

While the Browns seem no closer to clarifying their quarterbacks' status for the season, it seems that the signal-callers and the team—for the time being—are on the same page.

More NFL on Sports Illustrated


This article was originally published on www.si.com as Dillon Gabriel Clarifies Viral Interview Response During Browns-Eagles Game.

Test hyperlink for boilerplate