Browns RB Nick Chubb is likely out for the season after suffering a knee injury on Monday night
Chubb is likely out for the season:
Cleveland Browns running back Nick considered one of the premier backs in the league, suffered a grisly knee injury in Monday night’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers that is expected to end his season, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported.
Chubb is believed to have torn multiple ligaments, Rapoport reported. Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed he anticipated Chubb being lost for the season, though he did not authenticate ligament damage without imaging, which is expected to take place Tuesday.
“Nick’s got a very significant knee injury, which is, you feel for the person,” Stefanski said after the game. “He’s a great football player as we know, but he’s an even better person. So we will support him every step along the way.”
On a carry in the second quarter, Chubb was hit low by Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and his left knee went inward. Chubb quickly grabbed his leg before he was attended to by medical staff, subsequently carted off, and quickly ruled out for the game. The play was gruesome enough that no replay was shown on the telecast.
Steelers fans warmly chanted “Chubb” as the running back, who was visibly emotional, was transported off the field.
Chubb previously tore the PCL, MCL, and LCL in his left knee during his college career at Georgia. It’s the same knee he injured on Monday.
A model of consistent excellence, Chubb is a four-time Pro Bowler who’s had four straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons. The 27-year-old was well on his way to another stellar campaign, having rushed for 106 yards in Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals and having tallied 64 yards on 10 carries Monday.
Following Chubb’s departure, running back Jerome Ford came in and caught a 3-yard touchdown pass. In addition to the touchdown catch, Ford had 16 carries for 106 yards, the majority coming on a 69-yard run. Cleveland will need more big contributions from Ford and others to come close to filling the vacancy left by Chubb, who’s never missed more than four games in an NFL season.
A quiet destroyer on the field, Chubb has been Cleveland’s engine since his rookie campaign of 2018. Though he’s soft-spoken, Chubb’s revered in the Browns locker room and really throughout the league, as was evidenced by the social media reaction to his injury. Moving on without Chubb will be a monumental obstacle for the Browns to overcome, as it’s safe to say Cleveland will need to rebound from two losses on Monday night.
What this means for Cleveland
Regardless of Monday night’s result, the Browns losing Chubb is a worst-case scenario type of event.
Chubb might be the NFL’s best running back, and his power and consistency have long made him the Browns’ best offensive player. Chubb is the ultimate football player, a low-maintenance superstar, and has long been talented enough to carry the Browns offense when necessary. The passing game is a wreck at this early stage of the season, and even with Ford impressing in emergency duty Monday night after Chubb’s exit, the Browns simply can’t replace Chubb.
Why ESPN opted not to show a replay of Chubb’s injury
Viewers did not see the replay of Chubb’s injury. Here is what the broadcasters said during the telecast:
Joe Buck: “I am told that the replay of Nick Chubb getting injured is not to be seen.”
Troy Aikman: “Yeah, we’re not going to show it. It’s as bad as you can imagine.”
Buck: “They just showed it on the big screen here in Pittsburgh and the crowd gasped.”
An ESPN spokesperson said a decision was made by the “Monday Night Football” production team onsite in Pittsburgh not to show viewers at home a replay. Said the spokesperson: “We viewed the replays in our production truck immediately after the play and decided to use discretion out of respect to the viewers and Nick Chubb.”
