Nick Chubb is Back…Kind Of

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Browns running back Nick Chubb spoke to the media today for the first time since his injury in week 2 vs the Pittsburg Steelers on September 18th, 2023. While Chubb did not target a return date, everything seems to be going well as far as his rehab is concerned.

“I’m getting better every day,” said Nick Chubb while talking about where he is at with his rehab. “Taking it day by day getting better, yeah just right now trying to get stronger.”

Chubb sustained his injury via a hit by Minkah Fitzpatrick in which Fitzpatrick seemed to go low on Chubb while being brought down by another Steeler defender. There has since been controversy on whether Fitzpatrick’s hit was clean, but Chubb quickly put that narrative to bed in his presser Wednesday.

“I don’t think it’s a dirty hit at all,” Chubb said when asked about it. “I’m not blaming him, it’s part of the game.”

Chubb underwent his first surgery on his MCL in late September 2023 11 days after the hit. Chubb then had a second surgery to repair his ACL a month later. The surgeries came 8 years after having to have surgery during his sophomore season at Georgia where he suffered a torn MCL, PCL, LCL, and a dislocated knee during a game against Tennessee.

“I was down mentally for a while,” Chubb said when talking about his initial reaction to his injury.  “When you get hurt it's one thing but when you get hurt again and you already know what you have to go through: surgery, rehab, it’s a nonstop battle every day.”

One thing is for sure, if anyone can get through two knee injuries of this magnitude, it’s Nick Chubb

Chubb, who returned to Georgia in their first game the next year after his injury, was asked if this was a similar situation to that when it came to his week 1 availability. “We’ll see, I don’t know.”

Chubb has admitted that he has been able to run and even do some squatting in his rehab process. Chubb has acknowledged that he feels good, but the process remains gradual. While he was hesitant to put expectations on a return Chubb did not completely shut the door on a week 1 return, no matter how unlikely it is.