Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku on Oct. 1, when he arrived at Cleveland Browns Stadium to play just four days after burning his face in a household incident.Photo:Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via GettyDavid Njoku is opening up about why he decided toshare photos of his facial burns.On Thursday, the Cleveland Browns tight end, 27, sharedan Instagram postthat included two selfies showing the extent of the injurieshe sustained in a household accident earlier this month.In a newlocker-room interviewwith the Browns forCleveland.com, theNFLplayer revealed why he decided to post photos of his injuries so soon after the incident.Njoku said that he has “been getting a lot of messages from other burn victims and nurses that have burn victims."“They were telling me how everyone feels embarrassed to show whatever,” he continued. “So I wanted to just come out forth and show myself so everyone feels a little bit better about themselves.”“End of the day, things heal,” he added.After missing Wednesday and Thursday, the tight end returned to practice on Friday, and the team currently has him listed as questionable, Cleveland.com reported.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“The way I see it, all the pain and sufferings from training in the off-season are far worse than any of this,” he told the outlet. “We really push ourselves a lot to strive to be great. So a little burn isn’t going to stop me.”“The fact that I’m still breathing, I’ve still got my vision and everything,” he said, adding that “mentally [I] feel great.”David Njoku shared photos of his facial burns on Instagram after receiving messages from other burn victims, he said.David Njoku/ InstagramWhile reflecting on the incident Friday, Njoku told the outlet, “When it happened, my eyes were open, so I saw everything and I really should have been blinded. So luckily I’m not. So, yeah, I give all the glory to God.”Njoku’s Instagram post marked the first time he had publicly showed his face following the Sept. 29 incident, which occurred while he was lighting a fire pit in his backyard,ESPNreported.Just four days after sustaining the burns to his face, the tight endarrived at Cleveland Browns Stadium wearing an alien-inspired maskthat covered everything but his eyes.Up until game time, it was unclear whether Njoku would join his team on the field.The day before he was set to play in the matchup against the Baltimore Ravens, the Browns announced that he had beenadded to the team’s injury report, and tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden was activated off the Browns' practice squad to potentially take his place.He was listed as questionable “after sustaining burn injuries to his face and arm during a household accident,” the team said in a statement on itswebsite.Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku on Oct. 1.Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via GettyHis agent, Malki Kawa, also shared an update about Njoku onX(formerly known as Twitter) on September 30, writing, “Thank you everyone for reaching out, but David Njoku is ok, thank God.“The tight end later addressed his injuries on social media, stating that he intended to play with his team during the Sunday matchup.“The flesh is weak,” he wrote onX, also on September 30. “See u tomorrow #DawgPound.“While Njoku made good on his claims, taking the field on Sunday and making some big catches over the middle, the Browns ultimately lost to the Ravens 28-3.Earlier this week, Njoku also shared in anInstagram postthat he was launching a line of T-shirts — decorated with a graphic of himself arriving at the stadium in the alien mask — called “Withstand.“A portion of the money made from each sale would be donated to the American Burn Association, he said.The Browns next face the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Oct. 15 in Cleveland.
Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku on Oct. 1, when he arrived at Cleveland Browns Stadium to play just four days after burning his face in a household incident.Photo:Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty
Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty
David Njoku is opening up about why he decided toshare photos of his facial burns.On Thursday, the Cleveland Browns tight end, 27, sharedan Instagram postthat included two selfies showing the extent of the injurieshe sustained in a household accident earlier this month.In a newlocker-room interviewwith the Browns forCleveland.com, theNFLplayer revealed why he decided to post photos of his injuries so soon after the incident.Njoku said that he has “been getting a lot of messages from other burn victims and nurses that have burn victims."“They were telling me how everyone feels embarrassed to show whatever,” he continued. “So I wanted to just come out forth and show myself so everyone feels a little bit better about themselves.”“End of the day, things heal,” he added.After missing Wednesday and Thursday, the tight end returned to practice on Friday, and the team currently has him listed as questionable, Cleveland.com reported.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“The way I see it, all the pain and sufferings from training in the off-season are far worse than any of this,” he told the outlet. “We really push ourselves a lot to strive to be great. So a little burn isn’t going to stop me.”“The fact that I’m still breathing, I’ve still got my vision and everything,” he said, adding that “mentally [I] feel great.”David Njoku shared photos of his facial burns on Instagram after receiving messages from other burn victims, he said.David Njoku/ InstagramWhile reflecting on the incident Friday, Njoku told the outlet, “When it happened, my eyes were open, so I saw everything and I really should have been blinded. So luckily I’m not. So, yeah, I give all the glory to God.”Njoku’s Instagram post marked the first time he had publicly showed his face following the Sept. 29 incident, which occurred while he was lighting a fire pit in his backyard,ESPNreported.Just four days after sustaining the burns to his face, the tight endarrived at Cleveland Browns Stadium wearing an alien-inspired maskthat covered everything but his eyes.Up until game time, it was unclear whether Njoku would join his team on the field.The day before he was set to play in the matchup against the Baltimore Ravens, the Browns announced that he had beenadded to the team’s injury report, and tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden was activated off the Browns' practice squad to potentially take his place.He was listed as questionable “after sustaining burn injuries to his face and arm during a household accident,” the team said in a statement on itswebsite.Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku on Oct. 1.Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via GettyHis agent, Malki Kawa, also shared an update about Njoku onX(formerly known as Twitter) on September 30, writing, “Thank you everyone for reaching out, but David Njoku is ok, thank God.“The tight end later addressed his injuries on social media, stating that he intended to play with his team during the Sunday matchup.“The flesh is weak,” he wrote onX, also on September 30. “See u tomorrow #DawgPound.“While Njoku made good on his claims, taking the field on Sunday and making some big catches over the middle, the Browns ultimately lost to the Ravens 28-3.Earlier this week, Njoku also shared in anInstagram postthat he was launching a line of T-shirts — decorated with a graphic of himself arriving at the stadium in the alien mask — called “Withstand.“A portion of the money made from each sale would be donated to the American Burn Association, he said.The Browns next face the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Oct. 15 in Cleveland.
David Njoku is opening up about why he decided toshare photos of his facial burns.
On Thursday, the Cleveland Browns tight end, 27, sharedan Instagram postthat included two selfies showing the extent of the injurieshe sustained in a household accident earlier this month.
In a newlocker-room interviewwith the Browns forCleveland.com, theNFLplayer revealed why he decided to post photos of his injuries so soon after the incident.
Njoku said that he has “been getting a lot of messages from other burn victims and nurses that have burn victims.”
“They were telling me how everyone feels embarrassed to show whatever,” he continued. “So I wanted to just come out forth and show myself so everyone feels a little bit better about themselves.”
“End of the day, things heal,” he added.
After missing Wednesday and Thursday, the tight end returned to practice on Friday, and the team currently has him listed as questionable, Cleveland.com reported.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“The way I see it, all the pain and sufferings from training in the off-season are far worse than any of this,” he told the outlet. “We really push ourselves a lot to strive to be great. So a little burn isn’t going to stop me.”
“The fact that I’m still breathing, I’ve still got my vision and everything,” he said, adding that “mentally [I] feel great.”
David Njoku shared photos of his facial burns on Instagram after receiving messages from other burn victims, he said.David Njoku/ Instagram
David Njoku/ Instagram
While reflecting on the incident Friday, Njoku told the outlet, “When it happened, my eyes were open, so I saw everything and I really should have been blinded. So luckily I’m not. So, yeah, I give all the glory to God.”
Njoku’s Instagram post marked the first time he had publicly showed his face following the Sept. 29 incident, which occurred while he was lighting a fire pit in his backyard,ESPNreported.
Just four days after sustaining the burns to his face, the tight endarrived at Cleveland Browns Stadium wearing an alien-inspired maskthat covered everything but his eyes.
Up until game time, it was unclear whether Njoku would join his team on the field.
The day before he was set to play in the matchup against the Baltimore Ravens, the Browns announced that he had beenadded to the team’s injury report, and tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden was activated off the Browns' practice squad to potentially take his place.
He was listed as questionable “after sustaining burn injuries to his face and arm during a household accident,” the team said in a statement on itswebsite.
Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku on Oct. 1.Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty
His agent, Malki Kawa, also shared an update about Njoku onX(formerly known as Twitter) on September 30, writing, “Thank you everyone for reaching out, but David Njoku is ok, thank God.”
The tight end later addressed his injuries on social media, stating that he intended to play with his team during the Sunday matchup.
“The flesh is weak,” he wrote onX, also on September 30. “See u tomorrow #DawgPound.”
While Njoku made good on his claims, taking the field on Sunday and making some big catches over the middle, the Browns ultimately lost to the Ravens 28-3.
Earlier this week, Njoku also shared in anInstagram postthat he was launching a line of T-shirts — decorated with a graphic of himself arriving at the stadium in the alien mask — called “Withstand.”
A portion of the money made from each sale would be donated to the American Burn Association, he said.
The Browns next face the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Oct. 15 in Cleveland.
source: people.com
