On Sunday, the Cleveland Browns will return home to play their opener at Huntington Bank Field downtown, and for a short time, at least, the focus will not be on whether fans boo Deshaun Watson. It will be on Watson’s former teammates and one of the great Browns of recent history, running back Nick Chubb. The team will sign Chubb to a one-day contract that allows him to retire from the NFL as a member of the organization for which he played seven mostly brilliant seasons.
Chubb, of course, racked up 6,843 rushing yards for the Browns, and 51 touchdowns, earning Pro Bowl nods in four straight seasons from 2019-22. Only Jim Brown and Leroy Kelly accomplished that in Browns history. Chubb is also third on the team’s all-time leading rushing list behind Brown and Kelly, and is second with 30 100-yard games under his belt.
Chubb suffered a devastating knee injury in 2023, one that required two reconstructive surgeries. He played 15 games last year with the Texans in an attempted comeback, but decided to retire this year.
Nick Chubb: Retiring as a Member of the Browns ‘Means a Lot’
Ahead of his final “game” as a member of the Browns, Nick Chubb posted a message to the team and its fans through the team website.
His statement read: “I love Cleveland. It’s a second home to me. Ever since I stepped foot into the city, I’ve felt nothing but love and positivity. The decision to retire a Brown was an easy one. To be able to officially retire as a Brown means a lot to my family and me. The Browns have the best fans in football. There were some memorable experiences with the Dawg Pound that I’ll never forget. Jimmy and Dee Haslam, Whitney and JW Johnson, and Andrew Berry have done nothing but welcome me with open arms and I’m appreciative of them as I make this life-changing decision. Cleveland has meant a lot to me over the past eight years and I’m proud that I can always call it another home.”
Chubb, the Browns’ second-round pick in 2018, will appear on the field before the 1 pm ET matchup against the Panthers.
Browns’ Nick Chubb Sends Emotional Message as Retirement Looms