Steelers to try luck against another rookie quarterback in Cleveland's Dillon Gabriel

Since the start of the 2016 season, the Pittsburgh Steelers have faced a rookie quarterback on 14 occasions.

They are 12-2 in those matchups.

The chance to face another first-year passer will happen Sunday when the Steelers play the Cleveland Browns at Acrisure Stadium.

Dillon Gabriel is expected to make his second consecutive start in place of Joe Flacco, who was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals on Tuesday. That transaction leaves Gabriel and fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders as the two healthy quarterbacks on Cleveland’s roster.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, though, doesn’t view Gabriel as a typical rookie. He noted that Gabriel, 24, is almost a full year older than Steelers outside linebacker Nick Herbig, who is in his third NFL season. Gabriel turns 25 in December.

“He is new to the National Football League, but he has thrown that ball around a lot,” Tomlin said.

Gabriel, a third-round draft pick, spent six seasons in college, starting at Central Florida before transferring to Oklahoma and then spending his final season at Oregon. Gabriel exited college as the most experienced passer in Division I history with 64 games. His 18,722 passing yards are second most in Division I history.

“That in-helmet perspective, you can’t put a price tag on it,” Tomlin said. “He’s older and more experienced than most rookies.”

In his first NFL start, Gabriel completed 19 of 33 passes for 190 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in a 21-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in London.

“His timely processing is his super power,” Tomlin said. “His experience and that super power has been on display. That’s one of the central reasons they went to him. He’s able to function and function with fluidity.”

The Steelers, coincidentally, lost to Cleveland the last time they faced a Browns rookie quarterback. Dorian Thompson-Robinson helped Cleveland pull out a 13-10 victory in November 2023 in Cleveland. The Steelers defeated Denver’s Bo Nix and Washington’s Jayden Daniels last season.

Tomlin holds a 26-6 record when coaching against a rookie quarterback.

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Pass rusher Myles Garrett, a former NFL Defensive Player of the Year winner, has six sacks in his past three games against the Steelers. That includes a three-sack game last year in Cleveland.

Those performances came with Dan Moore Jr. playing left tackle for the Steelers. With Moore exiting in free agency, Broderick Jones will face Garrett on Sunday.

Tomlin said the Steelers will provide Jones with extra blocking assistance, much like they did when Moore played left tackle. He doesn’t see the need to discuss the matchup with Jones.

“I don’t know that it requires conversation,” he said. “Broderick is not a dummy. He realizes who he is competing against this week. He’s a competitor and a professional. I haven’t spent any time thinking about how I’m going to talk to or motivate Broderick this week.”

Garrett has four sacks this season but just a half sack in the past three games.