Must See: Nick Chubb Returns To Cleveland Browns Stadium
When the Browns and Steelers met back in Week 2, Cleveland lost a lot more than the game to their biggest rival. Many would say they lost the hard and soul of their team.
That heart and soul made his first public appearance at Cleveland Browns stadium since suffering a gruesome knee injury in that Monday Night contest.
His presence on the stadium scoreboard, invoked a massive roar from Cleveland's home crowd.
What a special moment for Chubb, who continues to rehab after tearing multiple ligaments in his knee on that September night in Pittsburgh. Some have even dubbed this week's rematch a "Nick Chubb revenge game."
Just this week it was revealed that Chubb had a second surgery to repair the torn ACL in his knee. Previously, he had a procedure done to repair the MCL and the meniscus which were also damaged on the play.
It was obvious the night Chubb went down that it was an emotionally draining experience for the entire team and fan base. What felt like rock bottom for Cleveland, instead turned into a rallying cry. The message from the locker room in the week after became about dedicating the 2023 campaign to their injured teammate.
With Chubb as a motivator, the team has managed to scratch and claw its way to a 6-3 record and are very much in the AFC Playoff picture. Not only that, but the Browns run game, headlined by second-year back Jerome Ford and veteran Kareem Hunt has held it's own to the beat of 147.9 yards per game – a figure that ranks second best in the NFL.
Now the Browns offense have lost both Chubb and star quarterback Deshaun Watson for rest of 2023, as part of a lengthy list of injured players they've had to manage this season. The Browns will attempt to overcome both key injuries and clinch a playoff berth over the last eight weeks of the regular season.