CLEVELAND, Ohio — The official news landed like a gut punch for the Cleveland Browns on Monday: linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah has been placed on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, ending his 2025 season before it begins. While the announcement wasn’t shocking after months of speculation following his neck injury, the finality stings for a team that watched JOK develop into one of the NFL’s most dynamic defensive playmakers.
“JOK was really becoming a really nice player on this defense and developing into one of the more fun linebackers in the league,” Orange and Brown Talk podcast host Dan Labbe said. “Like he was right on the brink of becoming kind of that household name. And now at best, we’re going to have to wait until 2026 for that to continue, if it does at all.”
The uncertainty surrounding JOK’s long-term future clouds what should have been his prime years. The Pro Bowler had fully actualized the potential that made Cleveland trade up to draft him in the second round out of Notre Dame in 2021. His unique skill set – the rare combination of coverage ability, blitzing prowess, and turnover creation – had elevated him to elite status.
“He was playing at a very, very high level, a Pro bowl caliber level,” cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot noted. “I think he would have been back at the Pro bowl again for the second straight year.”
What makes JOK’s absence particularly devastating is that he was the defense’s primary turnover creator. On a team that struggled mightily to generate takeaways in 2024, Owusu-Koramoah stood alone as the only linebacker or safety who either intercepted a pass or forced a fumble. His “peanut punch” technique for forcing fumbles had become his signature move, complementing his exceptional coverage skills.
The Browns’ front office recognized his exceptional talent before the injury, with GM Andrew Berry memorably describing JOK as “a heat seeking missile with rare shape shifting movement skills that would even make Neo, Trinity and Morpheus blush” – a Matrix reference that perfectly captured his otherworldly athleticism.
Perhaps the only silver lining in this devastating development is the contract extension JOK signed last summer – a three-year deal worth $39 million with $25 million guaranteed. This financial security provides some comfort amid the uncertainty about his playing future.
“Thankfully for JOK, he got that extension last summer,” Labbe pointed out. “At least if this is the end of the line, football wise for JOK, at least he’s going to walk away having made a decent amount.”
Beyond the field, JOK’s presence will be missed in the locker room. Known for his intellectual curiosity, his commitment to his African heritage, and his leadership in team discussions ranging from politics to global issues, Owusu-Koramoah brought a unique energy to the team.
While the Browns have stated he’ll remain around the facility to mentor younger players, particularly rookie Carson Schwesinger, his daily impact will inevitably be diminished. The organization maintains hope he might play football again, but the seriousness of neck injuries makes this far from certain.
“I think just unfortunate because you’re looking at somebody who had really unlocked something in the last two seasons and I thought was a perfect fit for this defense,” said Browns beat reporter Ashley Bastock, summing up the collective disappointment.
As training camp approaches, the Browns must now figure out how to replace the irreplaceable – a player whose unique “shape-shifting” abilities transformed their defense and whose future remains one of the NFL’s most concerning injury situations to monitor.
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