The fact that David Njoku was able to play for the Browns in Week 4 now looks like a minor miracle considering how badly he was burned following a household accident in September.
The Browns tight end was added to the injury report the day before the game after he burned his arm and face while trying to light a fire pit at his house. Although Njoku ended up playing in Cleveland's 28-3 loss to the Ravens, he made sure to keep his injuries hidden the entire time.
Before the game, he wore a mask as he walked into the Browns locker room.
What an entrance from David Njoku pic.twitter.com/YnVIvSUYKL
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) October 1, 2023
During the game, he also wore a mask, which kept his face hidden.
With the Browns getting a bye in Week 5, Njoku's face has had more than 10 days to heal and although it's not close to done healing, he finally revealed the extent of his injuries on Wednesday night in an Instagram post, which you can see below. Just a warning, the photo is graphic, so keep that in mind before you decide to look. To see the actual facial burn, you'll have to scroll over to the second photo.
The fact that Njoku was able to play with that kind of burn on his face is wild. The thing is, not only did he play, but he was arguably the Browns' best offensive player in the game. During the loss, he led the team in receptions (six) and receiving yards (49).
The NFL should hand him the Comeback Player of the Year award just for suiting up in Week 4.
After getting Week 5 off, the Browns will be returning to action in Week 6 against the 49ers. Although Njoku sat out practice on Wednesday due to his burn injuries, you have to think he plans on playing, especially since he played in Week 4 when the burns were at their worst.
