Since the offseason, Cleveland has been buzzing with quarterback drama, which isn’t exactly new territory for them. But reality is hitting hard as the Browns’ offensive coordinator was fired after a 3-14 season. Now, fans are connecting the dots, and the trail seems to lead straight to the agents’ office.

Because Dillon Gabriel didn’t just show up out of nowhere. He’s now the Browns’ starting quarterback, and for many fans, that feels a little too convenient. And it just feels too obvious why Shedeur Sanders hasn’t played a single regular-season snap. Not one. 

And suddenly, Kevin Stefanski’s agent, Jimmy Sexton’s name is being whispered in every fan forum. The same Sexton who’s represented both of the Browns’ recent head coaches, Freddie Kitchens and Stefanski himself. 

And his agency, CAA, just happens to cover nearly half the decision-makers inside Cleveland’s building. Even General Manager Andrew Berry works with another CAA rep. The plot thickens quickly because Sexton’s client list doesn’t stop at the NFL border, either. 

He also represents Dan Lanning, Brent Venables, and Gus Malzahn. Those are the three college coaches who shaped Gabriel’s entire career, from UCF to Oklahoma to Oregon. That web of connections is raising more than eyebrows in Cleveland. 

But according to ESPN, four teams entered 2024 with the same agent representing their head coach and both coordinators: Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland, Miami Dolphins, and the New York Jets. Only in Cleveland does that fact turn from trivia into a potential scandal. 

And it doesn’t help that former offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, another CAA client, was fired in January after that miserable 3-14 run. His replacement, Tommy Rees, came from Excel Sports Management, which means he’s the odd man out in this agency carousel. 

But once fans connected the dots, the floodgates opened.

Browns fans cry foul over Kevin Stefanski’s agent ties

One fan wrote, “That is definitely the reason, the guy is coaching to make sure his agent gets paid even at the cost of his own job. Makes perfect sense!!!!”

What’s ironic is that Joe Flacco was cut off after he had a 1-3 record with Cleveland. Whereas Dillon, who has the same record, is still being cited as QB1.

Another fan jumped right into the deep end, writing, “When will you people wake up and realize we are watching stories play out that are planned and configured with outcomes already predetermined.”

These reactions clearly indicate that fans think some player moves aren’t strictly football decisions anymore, and that Shedeur Sanders deserves a start. But on Monday, Kevin Stefanski outrightly said that who’s going to start against the Jets is not his “focus” at this point.

Still, some fans took a more practical stance. They were frustrated but resigned. “Man Gabriel is our QB1 till the end of the season. If he gets hurt Zappe if he gets hurt they will find a veteran to come in. Sanders will not see the field as long as Stefanski is coach. Like how much does he have to get ready.”

Time will tell if that holds true. For now, the struggling Dillon Gabriel remains QB1 irrespective of what the main factor behind that decision might be.