By Zac Jackson, Mike DeFabo and Richard Deitsch
Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb is expected to miss the remainder of the season with a “significant” knee injury suffered Monday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers, coach Kevin Stefanski said. Here’蝉 what you need to know:
- Chubb was carted off the field in the second quarter of the team’蝉 26-22 loss after he took a violent shot from Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick at the end of a first-and-goal run.
- Steelers players immediately signaled to the sideline for the trainers to attend to Chubb, who had 64 yards on 10 carries before exiting.
- Fitzpatrick was later ruled out in the third quarter with a chest injury suffered on a 69-yard run by Cleveland’蝉 Jerome Ford. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin told reporters that Fitzpatrick is being evaluated at the hospital for the injury.
Stefanski says “significant knee injury” and that he anticipates Chubb is out for the season. https://t.co/K6GimoNiYR
— Zac Jackson (@AkronJackson) September 19, 2023
The Athletic’蝉 instant analysis:
What this means for Cleveland
Regardless of Monday night’蝉 result, the Browns losing Chubb is a worst-case scenario type of event.
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Chubb might be the NFL’蝉 best running back, and his power and consistency have long made him the Browns’ best offensive player. Chubb is the ultimate football player, a low-maintenance superstar and has long been talented enough to carry the Browns offense when necessary. The pass game is a wreck at this early stage of the season, and even with Ford impressing in emergency duty Monday night after Chubb’蝉 exit, the Browns simply can’t replace Chubb. — Jackson
Why ESPN opted not to show replay of Chubb injury
Viewers did not see the replay of Chubb’蝉 injury. Here is what the broadcasters said during the telecast:
Joe Buck: “I am told that the replay of Nick Chubb getting injured is not to be seen.”
Troy Aikman: “Yeah, we’re not going to show it. It’蝉 as bad as you can imagine.”
Buck: “They just showed it on the big screen here in Pittsburgh and the crowd gasped.”
An ESPN spokesperson said a decision was made by the “Monday Night Football” production team onsite in Pittsburgh not to show viewers at home a replay. Said the spokesperson: “We viewed the replays in our production truck immediately after the play and decided to use discretion out of respect to the viewers and Nick Chubb.” — Deitsch
What they’re saying
“Can’t say enough about Nick Chubb, man,” Tomlin said after the game. “Sending our best to him. Got a lot of respect for that guy.”
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Backstory
Chubb, a second-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, posted 12 touchdowns and 1,525 rushing yards in 2022. He had 48 rushing touchdowns over his first five NFL seasons, as well as four touchdown receptions. The four-time Pro Bowler had 18 carries for 106 yards in Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Fitzpatrick, 26, was also hurt earlier on the tackle that injured Chubb but returned to the game soon after that. The three-time All-Pro started 15 games for the Steelers last season.
Required reading
- Browns desperately need Deshaun Watson to play like franchise QB after Nick Chubb injury
- Steelers’ Pat Freiermuth, with help from Tight End U, sets sights on being elite
- Browns 6-pack: Rookie O-lineman Dawand Jones gets a chance to prove his worth
- How the Browns can put history behind them by defeating Steelers in Week 2
- Why are there 2 ‘Monday Night Football’ games in Weeks 2 and 3? Explaining the NFL schedule quirk
(Photo: Charles LeClaire / USA Today)