When Cleveland Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah was drafted with their second pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, it was a dream come true. A severe neck injury suffered in October 2024 sidelined Owusu-Koramoah for the rest of that season, and now his NFL future could be in jeopardy.
Cleveland Pro Bowler Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah Faces Uncertain Future Following Serious Injury
Mary Kay Cabot, reporting for Cleveland.com, published an article Feb. 21 that did not paint Owusu-Koramoah’s future optimistically. Due to a “serious, visible compression of the neck,” Cabot reported, the linebacker may never return despite already missing the remainder of the 2024 season and all of 2025.
“Owusu-Koramoah… is doubtful at best to ever make it back to the playing field,” she reported.
He had signed a contract extension in August 2024, only two months before the injury. With $25 million guaranteed, the Browns showed their faith in the linebacker, but how far that faith will extend remains uncertain.
Injuries are part of football’s violent nature, and players understand the risks each time they take the field. However, when a stretcher or immobilizer is brought out, the atmosphere changes instantly. While Cabot does not see much hope for Owusu-Koramoah’s return, the linebacker himself feels differently
Owusu-Koramoah Reacts to Cabot’s Report
Cabot’s story was published the night of Feb. 21, and by 2 p.m. Feb. 22, Owusu-Koramoah responded. SleeperBrowns on X posted an image of the Browns defender questioning Cabot’s assessment: “Someone catch me up on the news?”
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah on the news drop from @MaryKayCabot last night suggesting his playing career was possibly over…
(📸: @j_owuu IG)#DawgPound pic.twitter.com/w2SrHqzrDg
— SleeperBrowns (@SleeperBrowns) February 22, 2026
While an injury that kept him out for a season and a half presents a steep challenge, Owusu-Koramoah remains hopeful.
The former Notre Dame standout earned a Pro Bowl selection following the 2023 season, when he recorded 101 combined tackles, 3.5 sacks, and two interceptions. That production carried into 2024 before his injury. Through eight weeks, he had three sacks and an interception before being carted off against the Baltimore Ravens.
Up until he was carted off the field in a Week 8 clash with the Baltimore Ravens, Owusu-Koramoah had already recorded 3 sacks and an interception. There was little doubt that he was beginning to find his footing in the NFL, but the main concern is not how he was performing — it is how he will perform if he does make a comeback.
If he does return, his progress will be closely watched. Cleveland could use his talent heading into 2026, and only time will tell if he will be part of that story.
