Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku discussed his September 2023 fire pit accident with Dianna Russini of The Athletic during an episode of the " Scoop City" podcast uploaded on Friday.
"Normally I do like a little meditation routine by a bonfire in my backyard. Long story short, [I] ran out of my normal lighter fluid, used a different one and it blew up in my face," Njoku said. "Now, mind you, my eyes were wide open when the whole thing happened, so I should be blind right now. But luckily, God is great. It was kind of, not exhilarating, but it was a rush, you know? Like that fight or flight moment came up."
The 2017 first-round pick remarkably didn't miss a game after the incident until an unrelated Week 18 absence, finishing with the best season of his career.
Njoku ended the year as the team's leader in receptions (career-high 81) and receiving touchdowns (career-high six), while placing second in targets (123) and receiving yards (882) — both of which were personal high marks as well. Njoku made his first Pro Bowl to cap off the strong season.
Despite suffering burns to his arm, face and hands in the Sept. 29 scare, Njoku suited up against the Baltimore Ravens two days later and posted a team-leading six catches and 46 receiving yards.
Prior to the game, he wore a mask that covered his face while walking into the stadium, to prevent anyone from seeing what had happened.
"Everyone thought I'd personally got (the mask) made, you know, from a different country or whatever. But I just Door Dashed it from Party City," Njoku told Russini.
"You were just ready for Halloween?" the insider quipped.
"Yeah, I mean, but with that being said, every time I took the mask off, parts of my skin or my face would come off with it," Njoku explained. "So it was a very limited time that I could put it on, take it off."
