The work never stops for Cleveland Browns star running back Nick Chubb, who is back in the lab just days after the NFL season officially came to a close with the Super Bowl.
While some players are still on vacation and enjoying some time off, Chubb is prepping for next season. The Browns RB posted to Instagram to show off some of his work in the gym with the caption: “What did you expect?”
Chubb is coming off his second 1,000-yard season, racking up the yardage in just 12 games. He also scored a career-high 12 touchdowns and averaged 5.6 yards per carry in his second Pro Bowl season.
Nick Chubb Praised as ‘Cultural Tone-Setter’ For Browns
Chubb is a quiet assassin, rarely even celebrating after a big play. However, he recently shared some thoughts with UPROXX about the Browns playoff run.
“It was overall a big difference from my previous years here. It was a culture change, a mindset change, an attitude change. All those things play a role into us coming out and winning 11 games in a regular season,” Chubb told UPROXX. “And I think the biggest thing was just the team all buying in, listening to coach [Kevin] Stefanski. He preached about working, working every day, working hard every day to get to where we want to be, and all the guys bought in. All the veterans, rookies, we’re all on the same page. We want to win. Tired of losing and those days are over with. And I think that’s the biggest thing that kind of shifted us into where we are now.”
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski couldn’t say enough good things about Chubb this season, which started with the first-year skipper calling him a “cultural tone-setter.”
“I like everything about him,” Stefanski said on the Bull and Fox show on 92.3 The Fan in he preseason. “Just doesn’t say much. He comes to work and does his job. There’s a way to lead without being a rah-rah guy. You don’t have to be making speeches. His teammates are very, very keenly aware when [he’s] in the building and on the field. He’s about his business and about working. That’s something I really respect.”
Nick Chubb Agrees With Baker Mayfield on Trade Talk
Chubb came into the league with quarterback Baker Mayfield — the No. 1 overall pick of the Browns in 2018. While the a stout run game helped, Mayfield stepped up, helping Cleveland to its first playoff win in over a quarter-century.
He proved he could be a franchise quarterback with a stellar year, passing for 3,563 yards, 26 touchdowns and a career-low eight interceptions last season. He was especially sharp down the stretch when the games mattered most.
The idea of Mayfield being traded for disgruntled Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson was brought up this offseason, which Mayfield responded to.
Mayfield reposted an article from a fan site talking about the hypothetical trade, writing: “Some of y’all ‘browns’ are funny,” with the OK emoji. He also pinned the tweet, a sign that it could be used as some long-term motivation.
Chubb — who, again, is the strong, silent type — thought Mayfield calling out the rumors was well warranted.
“I agree with Baker. I always agree with Baker,” Chubb said, per Sports Illustrated. “He was right to call those guys out. He’s our guy. He’s our quarterback. He’s played tremendous for us. He’s a great teammate, and a great friend of mine. That’s our guy. We’ll live and die with Baker.
The Browns face some decisions this offseason in terms of roster construction and could decide to extend Chubb, Mayfield, or both.
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Browns RB Nick Chubb Sounds Off: ‘What Did You Expect’