David Njoku Announces He Won’t Return to Browns in 2026

Longtime Browns tight end David Njoku made a social media post Monday in which he announced that he would not be returning to Cleveland for the 2026 season.

Njoku, 29, has played his entire nine-year career for the Browns after being selected with the No. 29 pick in the 2017 draft out of Miami. The 2025 season was the last year of a four-year, $54 million deal he signed in 2022, and he’s set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason for the first time in his career.

In his farewell message to Cleveland, which was posted on his Instagram account, Njoku wrote, “Cleveland, first off I love you. These 9 years have been a beautiful journey. I’m so grateful for all the memories we shared together. Thank you to The Haslams, Andrew Berry and the whole Browns organization for everything!! All my teammates I shared the battle with I’m so grateful for you guys. The time for me to find a new home has come and all I can think of is just the gratefulness in my heart. The city of Cleveland will forever be home. #ChiefOut.”

Njoku appeared in a total of 118 games for the Browns. He caught 384 passes for 4,062 yards and 34 touchdowns in his career. He ranks sixth all time in touchdown catches in franchise history, and is third in receptions behind only Ozzie Newsome and Dante Lavelli. Njoku’s best season came in 2023 when he made the lone Pro Bowl of his career. That year, he set career highs with 81 receptions, 882 receiving yards and six touchdown catches.

Last year, injuries limited him to just 12 games, and he didn’t have his usual impact on the offense as the passing game struggled througohut the season, rotating between three different quarterbacks. Njoku was targeted just 48 times and had 33 receptions for 293 yards and four touchdowns.

He should have plenty of suitors in free agency, where he figures to be one of the top tight ends on the market.

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