CLEVELAND — Cleveland Browns fans who are active on Twitter might have gone into a temporary panic Friday morning after tight end David Njoku decided to pull a prank for April Fools' Day.
Njoku posted on Twitter, announcing to fans that he wanted to seek a trade out of Cleveland.
"Good Morning all, I have instructed my agent @malkikawa to seek a trade. I want my fans to know first…" Njoku wrote.
Those who forgot to check the calendar may have been panicking for a moment, but a few minutes later (and after a few national sports reporters shared out the tweet), Njoku posted again, quote tweeting the announcement to let everyone know it was just a prank.
April Fools baby https://t.co/7V90aGXa4Z pic.twitter.com/EaHSQhILfS
— Chief David Njoku (@David_Njoku80) April 1, 2022
Njoku's playful prank comes after the Browns franchise tagged him earlier this month.
By placing a franchise tag on him, Njoku is protected from hitting the unrestricted free-agency market. The move to place the non-exclusive franchise tag on Njoku will cost the Browns around $10.8 million.
Since tagging Njoku, his agent Malki Kawa and the Browns front office have continued negotiating a long-term deal to keep the tight end in Cleveland beyond this season. The two sides have until July 15 to reach a new multi-year deal, or Njoku will play out the season on the tag, but it is likely a deal will be reached before the deadline.
So, if you saw Njoku's tweet or someone else share it, don't worry, it was just a prank and if all goes well, you'll be seeing Chief Spike touchdown celebrations for years to come.
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