The Cleveland Browns' 2025 season is all but over. With two weeks to go, the Browns are only playing to see how their rookies can develop and to see who can contribute in 2026 and beyond.
In Week 16, Quinshon Judkins suffered a broken leg in a brutally unlucky injury. The bad luck for the Browns' offensive rookies kept rolling into Week 17, as Harold Fannin Jr. Poppedup on the injury report on Friday.
But how did Fannin get injured? He was fine all week, so this injury, a groin issue, is a new one. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Browns tight end sustained this injury during Friday's practice in a moment of terrible luck.
Explaining how Harold Fannin Jr. Suffered injury before Week 17
"Browns TE Harold Fannin Jr. Suffered a groin injury during today's practice," Schefter reported on Friday, "and the team wants to see how he feels this weekend before deciding whether he can play Sunday vs. The Steelers."
The Browns' starting tight end suffered an injury before Week 17 in the Friday practice, the last one before this matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
With Cleveland down David Njoku, Fannin's status is important for Shedeur Sanders and the Browns offense. If Fannin can't go, then the offense will be down a few of their best playmakers.
More: Browns get devastating injury news on rookie RB Quinshon Judkins
Fannin's injury happening this late in the week doesn't bode well for his chances of playing in Week 17. While he could still go, as evidenced by this report from Schefter and Fannin's questionable tag, it doesn't look good.
Cleveland now faces the risk of being without Fannin for Week 17, which would be a huge blow to their chances against a stout Steelers defense.
Fannin is questionable and could still wind up playing. But this injury is still a concerning one. It's been a brutal stretch for the Browns' rookies lately, as Judkins sustained a season-ending injury, and now Fannin's status for Week 17 is in doubt.
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