 Njoku with theCleveland Browns in 2021 | |||||||||
| No. 85 – Cleveland Browns | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Tight end | ||||||||
| Roster status | Active | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born | (1996-07-10)July 10, 1996 (age 29) Cedar Grove, New Jersey, U.S. | ||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||
| Listed weight | 246 lb (112 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school | Cedar Grove | ||||||||
| College | Miami (FL) (2014–2016) | ||||||||
| NFL draft | 2017: 1st round, 29th overall pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics as of 2025 | |||||||||
| |||||||||
David Njoku (/ɪnˈdʒoʊku/in-JOH-koo; born July 10, 1996) is an American professionalfootballtight end for theCleveland Browns of theNational Football League (NFL). He playedcollege football for theMiami Hurricanes. He was selected by the Browns in the first round of the2017 NFL draft.
Njoku is one of nine children born to Nigerian parents ofIgbo heritage[1] who immigrated to the United States.[2] He attendedCedar Grove High School inCedar Grove, New Jersey. During his career, he had 76 receptions for 1,794 yards and 19touchdowns. A 3-star tight end recruit, Njoku committed toMiami (FL) to playcollege football over offers fromBoston College,Ohio State, andTemple.[3][4][5] Njoku also competed in thehigh jump in high school, winning the national championship at the New Balance Nationals Outdoor his senior year in 2014.[6][2]
Afterredshirting his first year at Miami in 2014, Njoku played in all 13 games with four starts in 2015 and had 21receptions for 362 yards and one touchdown.[7] In 2016, he had 43 receptions for 698 yards and eight touchdowns.[8] After the season, Njoku decided to forgo his remaining two years of eligibility and enter the2017 NFL draft.[9][10]
| Season | Team | GP | Receiving | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rec | Yds | TD | |||
| 2014 | Miami |  Redshirt | |||
| 2015 | Miami | 13 | 21 | 362 | 1 |
| 2016 | Miami | 12 | 43 | 698 | 8 |
| Total | 25 | 64 | 1,060 | 9 | |
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Njoku received an invitation to theNFL Combine and completed all of the combine and positional drills. In addition, he attended Miami'sPro Day and opted to again perform thevertical jump,broad jump,short shuttle,40-yard dash, 20-yard dash, and 10-yard dash. NFL draft experts and analysts projected Njoku to be selected in the first round of the draft. He was ranked the third best tight end available in the draft bySports Illustrated and was ranked the second best tight end byESPN, NFL analystMike Mayock, and NFL analystBucky Brooks.[11][12][13][14]
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | Wingspan | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | Wonderlic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 246 lb (112 kg) | 35+1⁄4 in (0.90 m) | 10 in (0.25 m) | 6 ft10+1⁄2 in (2.10 m) | 4.63 s | 1.57 s | 2.66 s | 4.34 s | 6.97 s | 40 in (1.02 m) | 11 ft 1 in (3.38 m) | 21 reps | 24 |
| All value fromNFL Scouting Combine/Pro Day[15][16][17][18][19][20] | |||||||||||||
TheCleveland Browns selected Njoku in the first round (29th overall) of the 2017 NFL draft.[21] He was the third tight end to be selected in the draft.[22] On June 15, 2017, the Browns signed Njoku to a fully guaranteed, four-year, $9.52 million contract which included a signing bonus of $5.06 million.[23]
On September 10, Njoku made his NFL debut in a 21–18 loss to thePittsburgh Steelers. He had two receptions for 20 yards.[24] in the Week 2 game against theBaltimore Ravens, he had three receptions for 27 yards and his first NFL touchdown in the 24–10 loss.[25] He finished his rookie year with 32 catches for 386 yards and four touchdowns.
In 2018, Njoku entered the season as the Browns starting tight end. He played in all 16 games with 14 starts, recording 56 catches for 639 yards and four touchdowns.[26]
Njoku had a receiving touchdown in the Browns' 2019 season opener against the Tennessee Titans.[27] In Week 2, Njoku was upended and landed on his head and left the game against theNew York Jets due to a concussion. However, later in the week, it was revealed that Njoku suffered a broken wrist on the same play. He was placed on injured reserve on September 20, 2019.[28] He was designated for return from injured reserve on November 20, 2019, and began practicing with the team again.[29] He was activated on December 7, 2019.[30] He appeared in four games and started one in the 2019 season.[31]
On April 27, 2020, the Browns exercised the fifth-year option on Njoku's contract.[32] Njoku was placed on injured reserve on September 14, 2020, with a knee injury, a day after he posted three catches for 50 yards and a touchdown against the Ravens.[33] He was activated on October 10.[34]
In the 2020 season, Njoku appeared in 13 games and started five. He finished with 19 receptions for 213 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.[35]
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In Week 5 against theLos Angeles Chargers, Njoku caught seven passes for 149 yards and a touchdown, with the score coming off a 71-yard catch and run, in the 47–42 loss.[36] In the 2021 season, he appeared in all 16 games and started 11. He finished with 36 receptions for 475 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns.[37]
The Browns placed the franchise tag on Njoku on March 7, 2022.[38] On May 27, Njoku signed a four-year, $56.75 million contract extension.[39] In Week 7 against theBaltimore Ravens, Njoku suffered a high–ankle sprain. It was later announced that he would not require surgery but would miss two–to–five weeks.[40] In the 2022 season, Njoku recorded 58 receptions for 628 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns in 14 games and starts.[41]
On September 30, 2023, before Week 4, the Browns announced that Njoku was questionable due to suffering burns on his face and arms in a "freak accident" in his home.[42] In Week 14 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he had two receiving touchdowns in the 31–27 victory for his first game with multiple touchdowns.[43] Njoku was later selected to his firstPro Bowl appearance.
In 2024, Njoku played in 11 games, catching 64 receptions for 505 yards and 5 touchdowns.[44] Njoku suffered a kneee injury in Week 14, that sidelined him for the remainder of the season.[45] Njoku also missed the first 3 games after an injury to his ankle in Week 1.[46]
In the 2025 season, Njoku finished the year with 33 receptions, 293 yards and 4 touchdowns, his fewest since the 2021 season.[47] Njoku dealt with knee injuries most of the season, which sidelines him in Week 7, and sidelined him for the rest of the season in Week 14.[48] On February 9, 2026 Njoku announced on his social media that he would not be returning for the Browns for the 2026 NFL season.[49]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Fumbles | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2017 | CLE | 16 | 5 | 32 | 386 | 12.1 | 34 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | CLE | 16 | 14 | 56 | 639 | 11.4 | 66 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | CLE | 4 | 1 | 5 | 41 | 8.2 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | CLE | 13 | 5 | 19 | 213 | 11.2 | 28 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | CLE | 16 | 11 | 36 | 475 | 13.2 | 71 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | CLE | 14 | 14 | 58 | 628 | 10.8 | 38 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| 2023 | CLE | 16 | 16 | 81 | 882 | 10.9 | 43 | 6 | 2 | 2 |
| 2024 | CLE | 11 | 11 | 64 | 505 | 7.9 | 29 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | CLE | 12 | 11 | 33 | 293 | 8.9 | 23 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 118 | 88 | 384 | 4,062 | 10.6 | 71 | 34 | 3 | 3 | |
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Fumbles | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2020 | CLE | 2 | 1 | 5 | 66 | 13.2 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | CLE | 1 | 1 | 7 | 93 | 13.3 | 45 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 3 | 2 | 12 | 159 | 13.3 | 45 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
On September 29, 2023, Njoku suffered burns to his face and arms during a household accident where he was trying to light a fire pit.[50] He has since supported theAmerican Burn Association in multiple instances.[51][52][53] He was named a Nigerian chief in his familial village, Umuozu, inUgiri Isiala Mbano,Imo State in the 2022 offseason.[54]
