CLEVELAND — NFL players across the league will be donning custom-painted cleats to support causes important to them during the "My Cause, My Cleats" campaign.
This year, Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku will be supporting a cause that is very important to him, the American Burn Association.
Just days before the team's Week 4 contest against the Baltimore Ravens, Njoku suffered a serious burn injury while starting a bonfire in his backyard.
In a video released on Friday by the Cleveland Browns, Njoku shared the full story from the burn incident.
“I have a bonfire every Friday night, just to meditate a little bit, play a little music and relax," said Njoku. "I was setting up my bonfire and I ran out of the normal lighter fluid that I use to soak the wood, so I used this other one, and it was a spray instead of one you pour. I sprayed it down, waited a little bit, and I guess the lighter fluid was still in the air, because when I lit it up, it just exploded. The fire came to my wrists and then blew up in my face. I didn’t really feel the pain because it happened so fast.”
The full video from the Cleveland Browns can be watched below:
In the video, Dr. Joseph Khouri, who said Njoku's burn was "probably the most painful burn you can have," revealed that the Browns star burned 17-18% of his total body surface during the mishap.
Dr. Khouri advised Njoku not to play against the Ravens, but "The Chief" decided to play anyway.
"I wrapped up my whole face, I put a ski mask over that and I put a helmet on. Every single play, whether I got the ball or not, my helmet hitting my face, I felt it every single time," admitted Njoku.
Since the incident, Njoku has been raising awareness and money for the American Burn Association by selling T-shirts.
"I think that's one of the messages David wanted to get out was, you can't do this alone," Khouri said. "So that's why he's into the ABA and he's donating because it's a very, very difficult road to recover from."
Njoku will wear custom cleats honoring the American Burn Association during the team's matchup against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, Dec. 3, at SoFi Stadium.
The "My Cause My Cleats" campaign, which launched in 2016, serves as a connection between the NFL and players by allowing them to create their art and represent their respective philanthropic organizations, passions and movements through unique designs in stadiums across the league.
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