An excerpt from Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah's Harvard application has revealed the terrifying moment his NFL career flashed before his eyes. The Browns linebacker detailed the feeling of being paralyzed on the field after a devastating neck injury in 2024.

The 26-year-old quit the NFL after a career-ending neck injury. In March, Koramoah was accepted into Harvard Kennedy School to pursue a master’s degree in public policy. Years later, now, an X post has revealed how that moment felt during Week 8.

His program does not start until fall, and an excerpt from his entrance essay has gone viral.

“Suddenly, head to toe, I went paralyzed," he said, according to SleeperBrowns' X post. "As I lay on the field, unable to move, my thought was only, Please God, let me get up.’ ...In the hospital, doctors told me that the injury would possibly be career ending."

The Browns were leading 17-20 in their Week 8 game against the Baltimore Ravens in 2024. Running back Derrick Henry was running with the ball when his shoulder collided with Koramoah’s head in the final minute of the 3rd quarter.

"The fear was real, but instead of sinking into depression, I reflected on what had already been meaningful to me,” the post concluded. 

When the medic team carted him off, Koramoah went out with his right fist raised in the air as Browns fans cheered for him. The severity of the career-ending injury, a month ago, a Cleveland beat writer revealed that chances of him ever returning were slim.

The Browns won 29-24 against the Ravens that day, but Koramoah’s absence cast a huge, sorrowful shadow.

But he made the important choice to shape his life and future beyond football.

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah's Recovery Forced Him To Face Some Tough Questions

Koramoah played for less than half a decade. But in the seasons between 2021 and 2024, he had become an integral part of the elite defence. He appeared in 49 games and recorded 205 solo tackles out of 308. 

He made eight sacks and six forced fumbles with his career-best season being the 2023 one. That year, he contributed 3.5 sacks and crossed the 100-tackle mark (combined) for the season.

His career might've ended abruptly, but it sharpened his focus to give back to his community.

“Recovery forced me to face a question that I had long avoided. If football ends tomorrow, how then will I be defined?... That reflection grounded me in the understanding that my purpose was never solely to become an NFL legend, but to uplift and empower people," the former linebacker said. "Thus, the injury did not introduce this purpose, but it required me to choose it intentionally.”

Koramoah’s choice of degree for his education falls in line with his ethos of making an impact.

“I exist within sports and within community, yet I didn't fully understand how real decisions are made in either. That curiosity is what pushed me toward public policy,” he said. 

Despite the abrupt end to his career, Koramoah would always be welcome in the Browns. Franchise owner Jimmy Haslam and general manager Andrew Berry wrote him letters of recommendation.

What is your favorite Koramoah moment? Tell us in the comments.

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Written by

Akanksha Biradar

Edited by

Aadesh Dhote