Browns' Nick Chubb Says He's "Where He Needs To Be" In Rehab

The star running back met with the media for the first time since sustaining the gruesome knee injury that cost him his season in 2023.

Sep 18, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb (24) is taken from the field on a cart after suffering an apparent injury against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

It's been nearly nine months since Browns running back Nick Chubb was carted off the field in Pittsburgh after suffering a gruesome knee injury.

The ailment, which turned out to be both a torn MCL and ACL cost Chubb the rest of the 2023 campaign. After working through the emotions of the situation and spending the offseason rehabbing, Chubb is ready to put the moment behind him.

"I was down mentally for a while, admitted Chubb. "I mean it's one thing when you get hurt again and you already know what you got to go through and the entire process, surgery, rehab, it's a nonstop battle every day, so my team did a great job just being there for me. I was around the building for them and did a great job, made the playoffs, had a great run."

First time we've seen the new kickoff out here during OTA's. Jerome Ford, Jamaica Thrash, Cedric Tillman and Ahmarean Brown got reps as returnees for #Browns pic.twitter.com/fYcuGxzt8b

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"I moved on. It was a blurry two weeks, so I don't think about it much. I'm just moving forward."

Moving forward is made at least a little bit easier for Chubb considering that he's been here before. During his sophomore season at Georgia, Chubb suffered a knee dislocation with multiple ligament tears that cost him the majority of that campaign.

That doesn't mean it was all rainbows and butterflies for Chubb since the injury. Having to watch his teammates got to battle each week without him took a toll.

"It's one thing when you get hurt again and you already know what you got to go through and the entire process, surgery, rehab, it's a nonstop battle every day, so my team did a great job just being there for me. I was around the building for them and did a great job, made the playoffs, had a great run."

Dec 28, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb (right) breaks guitar painted in New York Jets colors and logos before the game between the Browns and the Jets at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

If there's a silver lining in any of this for Chubb, it's that he knows what to expect in terms of his recovery. While he's still just running at the moment, the 2017 second-round pick says he's in a good spot right.

"It's not much different, the same process," Chubb explained. "I mean it just different ligaments. I guess we, it's pretty much the same. Just knowing how to attack it mentally and knowing I might not be at a certain point through the rehab process that I want to be, but I know taking a day by day and the weeks add up and the months add up.

"I like where I'm at, I'm where I need to be. I would say that the biggest thing for me is getting better every day."

Where he wants to be is back on the field as soon as possible, playing at the same level he was before the injury. After his knee injury at Georgia, Chubb returned to racked up 1,130 yards rushing and eight touchdowns as a junior in 2016. Then he followed that up as a senior with a 1,345 yards and 15 touchdowns season.

The difference is back then Chubb was in his early 20s. This time around he's 28, with more wear and tear on his body in general. The six-year veteran can't say for sure when he'll be back or how effective he'll be, but he's been counted out before.

I use it as motivation," the four-time Pro Bowler said. "I see everything. It's not the first time someone that's counted me out, so I've been here before. I'm not really paying much attention to it, but I do see it and I'm just focusing on getting better."

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