BEREA, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns are entering the offseason with decisions to make and a desire to find success moving forward from a season with promise but a disappointing ending. One of those decisions surrounds running back Nick Chubb, the face of the franchise who has been working hard to return after a devastating season-ending knee injury in Week 2.
Chubb is entering the final year of his contract, set to become a free agent in 2025. The 28-year-old running back is currently recovering from two knee surgeries to repair damage to his MCL and ACL.
While Chubb was not able to play for the majority of the 2023 season, the organization raved about the impact he was still able to have.
“I probably came into this year, let's say, on a scale of one to 10 in terms of respect for Nick Chubb, it was a 10, and probably coming out of this year, it's now a 20. You would've never guessed that Nick was out for the season with how he operated within the building. I mean, it was like he was doing two-a-day practices for rehab," said Browns General Manager Andrew Berry at his post-season media availability Monday.
Berry, in his praise for Chubb, recalled a story from this season that he felt compelled to share.
We were in L.A. for the Rams game and he was in the player suite. I happened to pop up in there and the suite, it's like humongous. First of all, it might be like 30 yards in length and he was walking to go get food, but it's a pretty long walk. But he wasn't using his crutches and I was like, ‘Nick, are you being stubborn?’ And he's like, ‘no, it actually feels pretty good.’ I was like, ‘Nick, if you're supposed to be on your crutches, be on your crutches.’ Well, we come back from the trip and then the next day Dr. [James] Voos had put out this tape because they were going to just test how he was and they're like, oh no, officially he doesn't need to be on his crutches anymore. He had walked the whole thing. It was normal.
Berry shared that story because he felt it shows just how hard of a worker Chubb is.
In fact, that's what has made Chubb such a beloved player in the city of Cleveland. The running back's jersey is by far the most popular sold for Cleveland players. On any given Sunday when he's on the field, fans can be heard chanting his name over and over, hopeful he'll get to carry the rock because he's widely perceived as the best player on the team.
With the injury this season, Chubb has solidified his stature in Cleveland and since Week 2 has been fighting to get back on the field as soon as he can—but to also continue impacting the Cleveland Browns without being able to take the field.
"He's still very early in his rehab process, but the tenacity at which he has attacked his rehab and he did everything in his power this year to heal himself but also make a positive impact with the team," Berry said. "He's not a super talkative person, but for him to do the whole Batman thing in front of the Jets game, it's like he wanted to do everything in his power to help the team win."
As for what that means for his future in Cleveland, it remains to be seen. He's expected to be able to return to game action this upcoming season as he continues his rehabbing through the knee injury. The team and Chubb are looking forward to that moment. And perhaps more, if possible, with a desire to retain Chubb beyond 2024.
"I can say for myself, no one in the organization; I understand our family, nobody wants to see that carry in Pittsburgh is the last time he carries the ball for the Cleveland Browns. And obviously, there are things that we'll have to work through, but that would not be our intention as well. We obviously will work to keep him on the team," Berry said.
