David Njoku feels that the NFL knew what it was doing when it scheduled the Cleveland Browns‘ opener against the Dallas Cowboys.
Njoku and the Browns will host the Cowboys in a high-profile opener on September 8. The sides have not faced off since 2020 — a game the Browns won 49-38.
“I’m honestly excited to play everybody. But obviously, during the Pro Bowl I had some friendly arguing between me and Micah Parsons about Cleveland and Dallas. I’m assuming that us playing them in Week 1 was not a coincidence,” Njoku said in an interview with herewegobrownieslive. “The people upstairs with power saw that interaction and wanted to capitalize. I can’t wait. I’m sure he’s going to bring his A-game along with the whole Dallas Cowboys team. It’s up to us to bring our A-game as well. Let the show begin.”
Njoku was referencing a spat with Parsons when the duo faced off in the Madden 24 Challenge as part of the Pro Bowl. Things got heated when Parsons — who held a halftime lead in the virtual clash — said Njoku showed why “Cleveland is Cleveland.”
“He said Cleveland is Cleveland, but we’re both here,” Njoku fired back at Parsons. “We’re both playing this Madden game. So what are you saying about Cleveland is Cleveland? Dallas is Dallas!”
Both the Browns and Cowboys were bounced in the first round of the playoffs in disappointing fashion. Cleveland fell to the Houston Texans 45-14, while Dallas was upset by the Green Bay Packers 48-32 in a game they were a double-digit favorite for.
Browns Have Toughest Schedule in NFL
The Browns got a tough draw with their slate for next season. The Browns have the toughest opponent strength of schedule at .547. But Cleveland has some early winnable games and ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi sees the Browns gaining some cushion early on.
“The Browns will enter their bye week atop the AFC North with a 7-2 record. Cleveland’s chances of a strong start will be boosted if running back Nick Chubb, returning from a pair of knee surgeries, is ready for Week 1,” Oyefusi wrote. “But there are winnable road games early against the Raiders and Commanders. The Browns also host three straight games against the Bengals, Ravens and Chargers before the bye. Cleveland will give itself some breathing room before a tough second-half finish.”
Cleveland has four primetime games in all — tied for the third-most in the league.
David Njoku Reacts to Browns Trolling Steelers
The Browns found some interesting ways to reveal their schedule, which has become a tradition around the league. Cleveland used memes to talk about their opponents and used a trash can to depict the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“Who is running this,” Njoku commented with some crying laughing emojis.
Njoku is coming off a big season. He led the Brown with 81 receptions and notched career-highs in yardage (882) and touchdowns (6). Njoku earned his first Pro Bowl nod thanks to his performance.
Njoku has come a long way since being selected with the No. 29 overall pick in 2017. He has the potential for an even bigger year with quarterback Deshaun Watson set to return.
J.R. DeGroote covers the NFL and NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Cleveland Browns. He covered local and statewide sports as a reporter for West Hawaii Today and has decades of experience in digital media with previous stops at SB Nation and Bleacher Report. He has won multiple state, regional and national honors for sports reporting and photography. More about J.R. DeGroote
