To add insult to injury, the NFL has fined Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku for his interaction with fans during a 23-9 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The league imposed a $14,491 fine on Njoku for making an obscene gesture. Video footage captured the veteran tight end flipping off fans at Acrisure Stadium as he walked to the locker room after suffering a knee injury.
Njoku has rarely found himself in trouble; however, he was fined twice earlier in 2023—once for an obscene gesture and once for unnecessary roughness.
In addition to Njoku’s fine, the NFL also fined Browns receiver Jerry Jeudy $12,172 for his scuffle with Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. The biggest penalty came against Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen, who was fined $23,186 for a hit to the head/neck area of Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel during the AFC North rivalry matchup.
**Browns TE David Njoku Ruled Out for Week 7**
David Njoku will not take the field when the Browns host the Miami Dolphins this Sunday. The knee injury he sustained against the Steelers was severe enough to keep him sidelined for the week.
“Dave’s a huge part of what we do on and off the field and the energy he brings every day,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said. “We expect other guys to step up in his absence. He’ll still be there on the sideline providing the same leadership he always does.”
The hit that injured Njoku came from former Browns safety Juan Thornhill, who is now a member of the Steelers. Njoku did not consider the hit a cheap shot and remains optimistic about his recovery.
“It was a brutal hit from a former Brown at that, you know what I mean?” Njoku told cleveland.com. “It is what it is. I’m rehabbing very well.”
With Njoku sidelined, rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. will take on an even larger role. Fannin leads Cleveland with 28 receptions for 254 yards and one touchdown this season. He is coming off his best game yet, hauling in seven catches for 81 yards on 10 targets.
Blake Whiteheart is also expected to see an increase in snaps at tight end. “We’ve got different options,” Stefanski said. “Blake’s a guy who’s played a lot of football for us, and we trust him.”
The Browns also listed several players as questionable for Sunday’s game: right tackle Jack Conklin (concussion), defensive tackles Mason Graham (knee) and Mike Hall Jr. (knee), wide receiver Gage Larvadain (concussion), and defensive end Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (hip).
**Browns Offense Looking to Get on Track**
The Browns’ offense will be without Njoku as they try to get back on track. Cleveland is averaging just 13.7 points per game this season—the lowest in the NFL—and has not scored more than 17 points in 11 straight games, dating back to last season.
“We have to play better, we have to do everything better,” Njoku said. “We’re not doing it up to par right now, so a change has to happen. We have to be better.”
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