The Cleveland Browns not only suffered their first loss of the season on Monday night, but they also lost the heart and soul of their offense. In the second quarter of a 26-22 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Nick Chubb was carted off the field after sustaining a serious injury on a hit by Minkah Fitzpatrick.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed after the game that Chubb had suffered a “serious knee injury” and was expected to miss the remainder of the season.
The ESPN broadcast team initially decided not to show the replay, but you could hear the gasps from the Acrisure Stadium crowd when it was shown on the Jumbotron. The crowd then showed their support for Chubb by cheering him on and paying tribute to him as he was carried into the locker room.
Nick Chubb
CLE • RB • #24
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A four-time Pro Bowler, Chubb had 64 yards on 10 carries before his injury. He had 106 yards on the ground in the Browns’ Week 1 win over the Bengals.
Jerome Ford replaced Chubb as the Browns’ starting running back. A fifth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Ford made eight appearances as a rookie and 15 appearances in Cleveland’s 24-3 victory over the Bengals. He played admirably in place of Chubb on Monday night, rushing for 106 yards on 16 carries, including a 69-yard run that was Cleveland’s final score of the night.
Regardless, the loss of Chubb is significant for the Browns, who entered Monday night with legitimate playoff hopes. Now the Browns must keep those hopes alive without one of the NFL’s best running backs and overall players.