David Njoku Shares First Pictures of Burned Face After Fire Pit Accident

Nearly two weeks after burning his face in a blaze, the Cleveland Browns tight end showed the extent of his injuries on Instagram

David Njoku is done hiding behind a mask after burning his face in a household accident.

On Wednesday, the 27-year-old Cleveland Browns tight end posted a gallery of photos to Instagram, including two that showed the extent of his injuries from the blaze.

It's the first time Njoku has publicly shown his face in the 12 days following the incident. He's previously been covering it, like on Oct. 1 when he walked into Cleveland Browns Stadium wearing a beige, alien-inspired disguise that blanketed everything but his eyes.

His social media upload did not include a caption, but the two pictures he shared appeared to show the progress of his recovery.

Related: David Njoku Arrives in Full Mask at Cleveland Browns Game After Sustaining Facial Burns

The first selfie was snapped as a calm-faced Njoku sat in a car, with the hood on his camouflage sweatshirt pulled up over his head. Though black sunglasses covered his eyes, the snap showed visible skin damage on his forehead, cheeks, nose, lips and chin. In the reflection of his glasses, similar injuries could be seen on his right hand, while his left hand was wrapped in a bandage.

In the second picture, Njoku was all smiles as he grinned for the camera. The irritated portions of his skin and lips had dulled significantly. His face was also shiny, seemingly from sweat.

Friends, fans and followers took to the comments section to share their support for the athlete. “Did not know it was that bad. Can only thank God he’s still okay," one commented, while another shared his amazement at the player’s ability to return to the field, “Brah, to play a game after this is nuts.”

Nijoku’s teammates shared their support, too. “Respect !!” Browns cornerback, Greg Newsome II, wrote. Running back Kareem Hunt poked fun at the accident, adding two flame emoji.

Njoku's accident occurred Sept. 29 while he was lighting a fire pit in his backyard, according to ESPN.

The following day, the Browns announced that the team’s tight end had been added to the team's injury report ahead of the Oct. 1 matchup against the Ravens. He was listed as questionable "after sustaining burn injuries to his face and arm during a household accident," Browns officials wrote in a message on its website.

No other details about the severity of Njoku's injuries were provided at the time.

While it was unclear if Njoku would play, he made it clear on X that he'd be on the field. "The flesh is weak," he wrote, before referencing the team's nickname. "See u tomorrow #DawgPound."

Sadly for the Browns, they fell short against the Ravens, losing the game in a 28-3 loss. But Njoku — who covered his face with another mask during warm-ups — played well, making six catches for 46 yards.

“The way he played was unbelievable to me with what he went through — not just the pass game, the run game, " Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski told repoorters in the aftermath of the the game. "He was the first guy picking his teammates up off the ground. It felt like every single play. He was a warrior. It was impressive to watch.”

Related: Cleveland Browns Repairing Damage to Field Caused by Vehicle as Police Investigate Incident 

Photos from the game were also shared on Njoki's Instagram gallery Wednesday.

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Earlier this week, Njoku revealed he was launching a merchandise line called "Withstand."

A share of the money made from each sale, he said, would be donated to the American Burn Association.

The Browns next face the San Francisco 49ers on Oct. 15 in Cleveland.

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