Nick Chubb faces another setback.
Cleveland’s star running back, who showed great determination returning after a serious knee injury last season, broke his left foot in the third quarter of Sunday’s 21-7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Chubb left the field at Huntington Bank Field wearing a walking boot and using crutches, which was a worrying sight for coaches, teammates, and fans.
Former Browns running back Kareem Hunt, who became close with Chubb during their time together, was shocked by the news.
“That is insane. I didn’t even know that,” Hunt said after rushing for 45 yards on 13 carries. “I’m going to pray for him, man. It’s been a tough journey for him to get back, but if anybody can overcome it and bounce back, it’s him.”
Browns star defensive end Myles Garrett, who was briefly out with an eye injury in the first half, was heartbroken for Chubb.
“It just goes from bad to worse, man,” Garrett said. “The man fights back from injury. He does it. There’s not a more hard-working, resilient individual in the locker room. And he has continued to face adversity like this.”
It is unclear exactly when Chubb got hurt. He ran for 8 yards on a carry early in the third quarter, just minutes after he had a ball go off his hands for an interception. On Cleveland’s next possession, Chubb fumbled when Kansas City linebacker Leo Chanel knocked the ball loose.
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski thought Chubb might have been stepped on.
It has been a tough season in Cleveland, with Chubb’s return being one of the only bright spots.
Chubb’s 2023 season ended in Week 2, when he suffered a serious injury to the same knee he hurt in college at Georgia. His injuries were so severe that he required two separate surgeries to repair torn ligaments, his meniscus, and medial capsule.
But in typical fashion, Chubb pushed himself to his limits in rehab and returned earlier than expected. He made his season debut in Week 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
“I have gotten to have a first-row seat to what he has been able to do,” Stefanski said. “I can’t tell you how much I respect him as a person, what he means to this football team. I know this is just another obstacle that he will overcome.”
While he hasn’t shown the same burst or breakaway speed that made him one of the NFL’s top running backs, Chubb, who has rushed for 6,843 yards since 2018, had been adamant this week that he didn’t want to shut down his season to prepare for 2025.
Now, he’s hurt again, and Chubb’s future is uncertain.
The four-time Pro Bowler is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent after this season. He has said he wants to finish his career with the Browns, who drafted him in the second round six years ago.
“It’s tough to see because he’s one of the cornerstones,” Garrett said. “He’s every bit a part of the foundation as myself and Denzel (Ward). We want to be there for him in every way possible, but it’s a real freaking shame.”
