Browns TE David Njoku Talks Beef With Kevin Stefanski: ‘Bunch of Dramatic Things’
It’s no secret that Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku hasn’t always been happy with the franchise that selected him with the 29th overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft.
Nor has he always been on the same page as head coach Kevin Stefanski, a once-rocky relationship he discussed on the January 18 episode of “Up & Adams” with host Kay Adams.
Njoku stated that he and his head coach have a relationship that is “night and day from when [Stefanski] first got here” in 2020, which is also the year that the player, who was in his fourth year of eligibility, requested a trade.
Njoku said his relationship with Stefanski is major areas of strength for so that the two were even ready to kid about the exchange demand his post employment survey soon after the Browns’ 45-14 Special case Round misfortune to the Houston Texans.
David Njoku Says Exchange Solicitation Assisted Form His Bond With Kevin Stefanski
Cleveland Browns fans must adore this.
In the wake of expenditure his initial three seasons playing for three different lead trainers, the New Jersey local played for a fourth mentor in 2020 — Stefanski, who totally turned the group around and drove the Browns to a 11-5 record and the establishment’s first postseason billet in quite a while.
In any case, Njoku was definitely not a basic piece of the group’s prosperity, as Cleveland had marked double cross Expert Bowl tight end Austin Hooper to a four-year, $42 million agreement preceding the season and had likewise chosen Harrison Bryant in the fourth round of the 2020 draft.
Njoku, who just showed up in four games in 2019 because of missing three months of activity with a wrecked wrist, mentioned an exchange that was never conceded and just got 19 passes for 213 yards in 2020.
The now-27-year-old informed Kay concerning that first season with Stefanski and how the underlying ill will between the two might have gotten them to where they are presently.
“You know, clearly, his most memorable year, I was attempting to leave, and it was a lot of just strife, a lot of emotional things that wasn’t exactly essential at that point,” Njoku said. ” Be that as it may, I felt like it was truly necessary to end up building our relationship however solid as it seems to be presently. It’s like a 180.
“I had a leave meeting with several days prior and that was the principal thing we discussed was the way insane this all like unfolded.”
Njoku Says He and Stefanski Actually ‘Have More Work to Do’
While Njoku’s craving to leave Cleveland turned over into the 2021 season, Stefanski increased his playing time and began him in 11 of 16 games, in this way bringing about the Miami item’s best season in three years, which, thusly, prompted Hooper’s delivery.
Njoku worked on again in 2022 while playing under the establishment tag, procuring him a four-year, $56.75 million expansion. Furthermore, this previous year, he had his best mission to date, keep vocation highs in gatherings (81), yardage (882), and scores (6) while driving all close finishes in yards after get (599) to acquire his most memorable excursion to the Genius Bowl.
Yet, in spite of his singular achievement, Njoku, proceeding with his discussion with Adams about his relationship with Stefanski, is obviously disheartened about how the Browns’ season finished.
“You know, it’s truly similar to a delightful story, yet the story’s not got done at this point, you understand what I mean? We still have a ways to go. We got a ton of more work to do,” Njoku said.
“We will require half a month or so to de-pressurize and move away, yet each time we miss the mark, it makes me and the group significantly more eager to accomplish what we came here for.”
