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Browns should re-sign Nick Chubb, a hero in first game vs. Steelers since injury | Ulrich
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- Browns should re-sign Nick Chubb, a hero in first game vs. Steelers since injury | Ulrich
CLEVELAND — Full-circle moments can cause reflection, and one of those instances occurred when Browns running back Nick Chubb encountered the Pittsburgh Steelers in a snow globe on "Thursday Night Football."
Chubb collided with the Steelers for the first time since Sept. 18, 2023, when linebacker Cole Holcomb had him wrapped up high as safety Minkah Fitzpatrick crashed into the side of his left leg during a 5-yard run on first-and-goal at the Pittsburgh 8-yard line.
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In Chubb's fifth game back from the second devastating knee injury of his life , he rushed 20 times for 59 yards and two touchdowns and caught one pass for a yard as the Browns upset the AFC North rival Steelers 24-19 at Huntington Bank Field.
With 57 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Chubb barreled ahead for the game-winning, 2-yard rushing touchdown.
Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb (24) scores a touchdown as guard Joel Bitonio (75) blocks Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen (6) on Nov. 21, 2024, in Cleveland.
After the Browns went three-and-out on each of their first two possessions, Chubb finished the third one by rushing up the middle for a 2-yard touchdown with four minutes remaining in the second quarter. Two snaps earlier, he kept the 12-play, 80-yard drive alive by running for 5 yards and a crucial first down on fourth-and-1 from the Pittsburgh 16.
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The no-nonsense Chubb indulged his teammates a bit while they celebrated his touchdowns.
"I pulled around on [the first touchdown], so I was like, 'I'm going to make sure I get a hug out of him.' So he gave me a little tap [on the helmet], which was great," Browns guard Joel Bitonio said. "The next one, I went and gave him a hug, too, and no emotion, but I think he was excited on the inside."
Chubb didn't speak to media after the game, and he wasn't alone. When the Beacon Journal asked Fitzpatrick for an interview in the visiting team's locker room, he said, "I ain't talking."
Nick Chubb has endured through a lengthy injury history since playing for Georgia football
The brutal setback Chubb experienced last year when Fitzpatrick hit him at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh resulted in two knee surgeries to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament, medial capsule, meniscus and medial collateral ligament. He suffered three torn ligaments, all but the ACL, in the same knee as a University of Georgia sophomore on Oct. 10, 2015.
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Considering what Chubb has endured, it's a miracle he is still playing in the NF L.
Pondering the past can provoke thoughts about the future, and Chubb is in the final season of his contract with the Browns.
For the same reasons the Browns have previously retained Chubb , they should re-sign him again to a one-year, incentive-laden contract. He is a low-maintenance superstar, the epitome of a tough, hard-nosed workaholic and the heart and soul of a football-crazed region.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston (5) hands the ball to running back Nick Chubb (24) against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first quarter Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Cleveland.
On the sideline during the game, Browns running back Jerome Ford asked Chubb if he would make snow angels with him on the field after a win. Chubb declined because, as usual, he was in all-business mode. Ford simply laughed in admiration.
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"I was his biggest fan today," said Ford, who had four carries for 19 yards and caught one pass for 8 yards. "If I was in the stands, I would be starting 'Chubb, Chubb' chants, and it'd be every time he touched the field. So just being able to see him get back and be out there and be himself against this team, it was great to see. And I feel like it gave a lot of energy to the team, the fans and we love to see it."
Kevin Stefanski, Browns players like Myles Garrett applaud Nick Chubb's resiliency
Chubb didn't let on in the buildup to Thursday night, but his teammates suspect the Steelers game carried a special meaning for him. Browns quarterback Jameis Winston noted he saw a smile on Chubb's face after the victory.
"I know it means a lot to him," Browns defensive end Myles Garrett said. "He won't say it, but it's true. I'll say it because this time last year, we were sick to our stomachs, and it hurt to have his family hurting and have to see that, him to deal with all that, have to go through that kind of recovery, that mental obstacle, just not knowing what your future is and how long it's going to take to get back. There was just so much [up] in the air, and so for him to come back and be pivotal in this game, it just speaks to the kind of resilience and the man that he is, and we absolutely love him."
Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb (24) scores a touchdown late in the fourth quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Cleveland.
Coach Kevin Stefanski called Chubb his "favorite player on the team," and Browns fans adore him, too. They should remember the Browns wouldn't be in the midst of a massively disappointing 3-8 season if the roster included more players cut from the same cloth as Chubb, a 2018 second-round draft pick of Cleveland.
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But as great as Chubb is, stop asking whether will be back to his four-time Pro Bowl form in the final six games this season. Those questions ought to be held for next season because any football player who has ever suffered a torn ACL knows the first season back in action is unlikely to yield full-fledged performance. It's usually not until the second season when a player can truly trust the knee and cut without any hesitation amid the heat of full-speed competition. And in Chubb's case, there was significant additional damage in the knee.
In the meantime, the incremental improvements Chubb has shown in each of his outings are encouraging. He took another step against the Steelers (8-3), even in wintry conditions.
"Nick's been through it before, so he knows what he's got to do and he knows how to prepare, get his knee right week in and week out and how to try to feel as good as he can by Sunday," Browns offensive tackle Jack Conklin said.
More on Browns vs. Steelers: Cleveland beats Pittsburgh in comeback win in snowstorm
Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb (24) runs for a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the fourth quarter Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Cleveland.
How old is Nick Chubb? It doesn't matter
Yes, a leap of faith is required to give a running back who will turn 29 on Dec. 27 a new deal, especially one with an extensive injury history. Still, Chubb should be an exception to the rule because of everything he represents.
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In 2021, the Browns signed Chubb to a three-year, $36.6 million contract extension . As he rehabilitated this past offseason, they reworked the final year of the deal and kept him. Realizing the franchise could have easily severed ties, Chubb appreciated the move. Given how grateful Chubb is for the support he has received in Cleveland, all indications are he would like to eventually retire with the Browns.
Let's be clear here: Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam may decide to fire prominent members of the organization because of unmet expectations this season. Even if Stefanski is safe, which an NFL Network report suggested before kickoff, General Manager Andrew Berry or other key figures could be in danger of losing their jobs.
However, the Browns should bring back Chubb no matter who is charge of roster decisions moving forward.
The Haslams were heavily involved in the decision to execute the awful Deshaun Watson trade with the Houston Texans in March 2022. So if ownership is going to meddle, it might as well do so in a positive manner by ensuring Chubb sees through a complete comeback with the Browns. The approval rating of the Haslams is near rock bottom primarily because of their $230 million quarterback, accused by more than two dozen women of sexual misconduct or sexual assault, crashing and burning.
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Re-signing Chubb would be an olive branch worth extending to a justifiably disgruntled fan base.
More on Nick Chubb: Cleveland Browns star has grandma to thank for belief he's needed amid comeback
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Nick Chubb shows Browns why he deserves new contract in Steelers game
