After a year where he took home the hardware of NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett has also been recognized as PFF’s top player of the 2023 season.
Garrett finished his award-winning season with 14 sacks, four forced fumbles, and a massive 86 pressures. Using PFF’s metrics that they used to name him the top player in the NFL, he was the top-graded defensive player in the league with a grade of 93.6. Garrett also boasted the best pass rush win rate in the league as well, beating the man across from him on an astounding 27.5 percent of his pass rush snaps.
While the sacks might have dropped off, Garrett’s impact stayed steady, as he was double-teamed the most of any player in the NFL a year ago.
As the Browns look to stay competitive in 2024 (starting with what they do in free agency), they will need their Defensive Player of the Year to keep up the pace.
he Cleveland Browns‘ star tight end, David Njoku, burned 17% of his entire body surface area after a firepit explosion left his face barely recognisable, as he wears a mask to hide his identity in public.
Njoku received second-degree burns to his arms and face as the flames and heat damaged the top two layers of his skin, leaving his team doctor advising him to not play in the contest, describing the injury as “probably the most painful burn you can have”.
A second-degree burn is a mild to moderate burn that can affect the top layers of the skin but can also impact the dermis underneath. It’s more severe than a first-degree burn, which is superficial, but isn’t as threatening as a third-degree burn. It can take weeks to heal and is very painful.
The 2017 first-round pick has made 51 catches in 2023/24 for 492 yards and two touchdowns as the Browns sit third in the AFC North with a 7-4 record, as they also cope with the absence of Deshaun Watson through injury.
“When I lit it up, it just exploded,” Njoku said to the Browns’ media. “I saw the fire come up through my wrist and then just blow up in my face. I didn’t really feel the pain because it just happened so fast.”
Amazingly, he went on to play in the Browns’ next fixture against the Baltimore Ravens where he recorded six catches for 46 yards in an impressive display of human strength and sheer will power through what was no doubt intense pain.
They will face the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, December 3 with Njoku set to wear custom clothing permitted by the NFL as part of their, “My Cause, My Cleats” campaign that pays tribute to the American Burn Association.
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