David Njoku's heartfelt farewell signals the departure of a beloved veteran, closing a significant chapter in Cleveland Browns history
Children tend to learn at a very young age that all good things must come to an end. Nowhere is that more true than in the NFL.
On Monday night, Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku took to Instagram to bid farewell to the city's diehard fan base. The 30-year-old is set to become a free agent next month, and based on his heartfelt message, it appears he's been given some indication he won't be back.
In truth, a split felt inevitable for a while now. The emergence of Canton's own, Harold Fannin Jr. this past season made Njoku expendable, despite the Browns propensity for 12 personnel.
Fannin Jr. represents a bright new future for Cleveland at the tight end position. He set a new franchise record for receptions by a rookie with 70 and produced the second-most touchdowns of anyone on the roster this season with six.
All the while, Njoku spent the 2025 campaign battling injuries, yet again. Njoku has missed 11 games in his two seasons since making the Pro Bowl in 2023. His numbers have been in steady decline ever since, as well.
Through it all, though, the nine-year veteran has remained a fan favorite by the Browns faithful. Much of that is due to his incredibly boisterous personality. It's also about what he symbolized.
Njoku is one of the last remnants of the most successful era of Browns football since the team returned in 99, particularly on the offensive side of things.
The Miami product arrived with a bang, as one of the franchise's three first-round picks in 2017, alongside Myles Garrett and Jabrill Peppers. That trio was viewed as three pillars of a new era of Browns football at the time.
Together they suffered through the 0-16 season as rookies, but on the other side of the storm came the next wave of pivotal players as Baker Mayfield, Denzel Ward and Nick Chubb all joined the fold.
Then came tangible progress in 2018, when Cleveland went 7-8-1. Peppers were traded for Odell Beckham Jr. in 2019, and the team took a step back in 2019, but the foundation remained.
Of course, there was Njoku's infamous trade request in 2020 upon Kevin Stefanski's arrival to town. Somehow, the two parties smoothed things over, though, paving the way for the best season since the franchise was reinstated in 1999.
Njoku was part of the core of players at the forefront of the team going 11-5, ending a nearly two-decade-long playoff drought, and winning a playoff for the first time since 1994.
He played an even bigger role in the team's return trip to the playoffs in 2023, which saw him rack up 81 passes for 882 yards and six touchdowns. In a season where five different QBs started games, Njoku found some chemistry with veteran Joe Flacco and caught fire.
As other members of that core have come and gone – Mayfield was infamously traded away in 2022, Chubb suffered a brutal season-ending injury early in 2023 and eventually left in free agency last offseason – Njoku remained.
Aside from veteran lineman like Jack Conklin, Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller, all of whom are free agents in their own right, Njoku is one of the last reminders of what the Browns offense used to be. The hope it used to provide fans.
He was in the muni lot celebrating with fans when the Browns clinched a playoff berth in 2023. He's defended Cleveland against its staunchest of critics over the years.
Changes are coming to that side of the ball in 2026. Executive Vice President of Football Operations, Andrew Berry, has guaranteed that.
As one door closes, another one opens. Berry and new head coach Todd Monken have a new vision for the Browns offense. Still, Njoku's departure is bound to be one fans will feel, maybe most of all.
Here's another lesson fans can lean on. Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.
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