Breaking News:At least 1 legendary Browns player believes David Njoku deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Travis Kelce

EASTLAKE, Ohio — Browns tight end David Njoku raised a few eyebrows at the end of 2022 when he said that he believes he and Deshaun Watson can make some of the same highlight-reel magic as Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.

But at least one legendary Browns player believes Njoku can be mentioned in the same breath as the future first-ballot Hall of Fame tight end from Cleveland Heights, who attended Njoku’s celebrity softball game Saturday and beat his good friend and former Chiefs teammate Kareem Hunt in the home run derby.

“I love what Travis Kelce’s doing, but David Njoku’s up there as one of the elite tight ends in the game and it’s not just because I’m a Browns fan and it’s not because I’m his friend,” former Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar said before the game at Classic Park. “He’s an elite tight end in the league and what he brings now in his ability to catch the ball is awesome. But the way he’s an in-line blocker, you can’t find many guys better than him.”

It’s not even that Njoku is a fellow University of Miami alum, although those ‘Canes do stick together.

“Being biased from the University of Miami and knowing him back in high school back before he even got to the ‘Canes, and we use the phrase UMatter,” Kosar said. “You hear me saying it a lot. It’s about confidence and awareness and self-esteem, and what David’s done with his confidence and self-esteem in the community, hats off to him that he’s able to do this, but where he’s come on the field with that even more so.”

Kosar, who’s friends with both tight ends, cited Njoku’s bumpy road to joining Kelce as the two AFC Pro Bowlers at their position last season.

A lot of people when he got drafted maybe were down on him, but he was 20 years old,” Kosar said. “He’s in his (eighth) year in the league and he’s only 27. A lot of people kind of were on his case back four or five years ago, (but) a lot of people were supportive of him, and he was supportive of himself and it was big when he had that confidence and belief.”

Last season, Njoku, who’s attended Kelce’s Tight End University each of the past three offseasons — also co-founded by San Francisco’s George Kittle, and Fox analyst Greg Olsen — began to approach Kelce-like numbers with career-highs in receptions (81), yards (882) and touchdowns (6). And he did so despite playing with four different quarterbacks.

Question is, can Njoku ever reach some of the same milestones as Kelce, who’s played four more seasons and will turn 35 in October? Kelce, who idolized Kosar growing up and spent time chatting with him at the softball game, has 49 more touchdown catches (74) than Njoku (25), eight more Pro Bowls (9), four more first-team All-Pros (4) and three more Super Bowl rings (3).

That’s my guy, man,” Njoku said of Kelce, the Chiefs’ third-round pick in 2013 out of Cincinnati. “He’s one of the purest human beings I’ve met in my life honestly. Always means well. Just great overall dude.”

As far as Njoku catching up to him over the next half a dozen years or so, it will be tough. Kelce has spent the past six seasons playing with another future first-ballot Hall of Famer in Mahomes, snagging those no-look passes and making acrobatic catches over the middle and in the end zone. The two, who will play in Cleveland on Dec. 15 when the Super Bowl champion Chiefs come to town, have formed one of the most exciting and prolific duos in the history of the NFL.

Njoku, on the other hand, has played with 11 different starting quarterbacks since he was drafted No. 29 overall by the Browns in 2017, including the four last season. Imagine what he can accomplish this season if Watson — coming off surgery to repair a fractured shoulder — stays healthy.

“Hell, yeah, I’m excited for Deshaun, myself and the whole team,” Njoku said. “The energy’s always so high the first few days, so we’ve just got to keep that energy flowing throughout the whole year.”