Veteran tight end David Njoku has played his last season for the Cleveland Browns.

After the conclusion of Super Bowl LX, he shared an emotional parting message for all fans.

"Cleveland, first off I love you. These 9 years have been a beautiful journey. I’m am so grateful for all the memories we shared together. Thank you to The Haslams, Andrew Berry and the whole browns organization for everything!!"

Although he expressed his desire to find a new challenge, Njoku assured the fans that the Browns will always be his home.

The 29-year-old signed a 4-year contract worth of $54.75 million in 2022 and ended in 2025. He is now set to become a free agent for the first time in his career.

Njoku joined in 2017 and spent nine seasons in Cleveland. In 118 games, he scored a total of 34 receiving touchdowns for 4,062 yards. His peak came in the 2023 season, where he earned his first Pro Bowl selection.

Cleveland's owner, Jimmy Haslam, and GM Andrew Berry decided to look towards the future. With Njoku missing the final four games due to a knee injury, young talent Harold Fannin Jr. emerged and has ultimately made Njoku expendable.

The news of Njoku's departure has puzzled fans, and they have a lot of different emotions.

Browns fans' Mixed Reactions on David Njoku's Exit

Despite a poor 2025 season, David Njoku's exit will create a huge gap in the Browns' offensive arsenal.

It's why one fan said, "That’s a big loss for the Cleveland Browns, because when David Njoku says he’s not coming back, it changes their entire offensive picture."

One fan was quite satisfied with his decision, implying Harold Fannin Jr. would carry his legacy. "It was bound to happen, Harold Fannin is TE1," he said.

Another fan described him as a Browns' legend and stated it was definately an end of an era with his exit. "End of an era in Cleveland, and a time to take up a new challenge. Well done Njoku, you gave your best and will be greatly missed."

Many fans felt he was wasting his career at the Browns and certainly deserved to play in a better team.

It's why one fan said, "Njoku leaving Cleveland after everything makes sense. Browns are a mess and he deserves better. Smart to announce it himself instead of letting them cut him, control your own narrative."

How do you see Njoku's emotional departure from the team? Let us know some of his best moments for the Browns you remember as a fan!

Read more at the Cleveland Browns Community!

Written by

Kalp Thaker

Edited by

Oajaswini Prabhu