Nick Chubb's Browns Teammates React To Season-Ending Injury

One year after suffering a season-ending knee injury, Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb saw his 2024 campaign cut short in devastating fashion due to a broken foot

Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb (24) runs for yards during the first half against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio. / Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A miserable Sunday turned a whole lot more grim for the Cleveland Browns when news of star running back Nick Chubb suffering a broken foot spread throughout the locker room, in the aftermath of a 21-7 loss to the Chiefs.

A normally profound Jameis Winston was rendered mostly speechless upon learning of the devastating news.

“That’s unfortunate, but I’ll speak with him and make sure we keep him lifted up," he said.

It isn't entirely clear when Nick Chubb may have broken the foot, but a replay from the television broadcast shows Chubb coming up lame on a play early in the third quarter. Several plays later he was deemed questionable and never returned to action. In a season filled with plenty of low points for a 3-11 Browns team, another season-ending injury for the four-time Pro Bowler may just be the lowest one.

"It just goes from bad to worse, man. It really does," star pass rusher Myles Garret said. "The man fights back from injury. He does it. There’s not a more hard working, just resilient individual in the locker room. And he just has continued to face adversity like this. It’s just tough to see because he’s one of the cornerstones. He’s every bit a part of the foundation as myself and Denzel (Ward). And it’s just, it’s tough to see him have to go through this. And we want to be there for him in every way possible, but it’s a real freaking shame.” 

As Garrett referenced, Chubb spent the entirety of this past offseason rehabbing from a severe knee injury, that left all the major ligaments in his left knee shredded. After multiple surgeries, grueling workouts and an extended stint on the team's physically unable to perform list to start the season, Chubb made it all the way back to make his 2024 debut in Week 7.

The weeks since have been a grind for the Georgia product, who had shown glimpses of his previous self, but never quite got back to being the dominant runner he was. There were more signs of the old Nick Chubb against the Chiefs on Sunday.

Stefanski hated being the one to deliver the bad news publicly after the game.

"I have gotten to have a first row seat to what he’s been able to do," Cleveland's head man said. "I can’t tell you how much I respect him as a person, what he means to this football team. So, really, really disappointed about this injury. It does not change the fact that he continues to inspire this football team with how he approaches every single day. And I know this is just another obstacle that he will overcome."

"Inspire" is a word used quite a bit with Chubb. His blue-collar persona has made him a fan favorite outside the organization. That carries over to his teammates and coaches though, who view Chubb as a pillar of the organization. Simply put, he sets the tone for everyone else.

"It’s just tough, man," Chubb's running back mate Pierre Strong Jr. said." I come to work every day to see how hard he works, and he works his ass off. Excuse my language, but he do. That's probably one of the hardest-working dudes I've ever seen. So for him to continuously battle through adversity, man, it's just—when's he going to catch a break, you know what I mean? Because I want to see him at the top. He’s already at the top but he strives to be better so we push him to be better.”

Backup quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who took over under center well after Chubb has exited, was made aware of the injury at his locker afterward.

"I tried to ask a couple guys what happened, but this is my first time hearing that, so it's obviously heartbreaking," he said. "Another season ending injury for him, so I can only imagine how he's feeling as well as his family. So just sending my prayers his way."

The sobering realization that Chubb had been lost to another unfortunate injury could be felt across the locker room at Huntington Bank Field. And like Thompson-Robinson, players on both sides of the ball shared condolences for their teammate.

"It sucks because you know how hard he fought to get back," linebacker Jordan Hicks said. "You just pray for him. This game is brutal mentally. Physically, we're conditioned to come back from injury, we're conditioned to fight through pain, it's the mental aspect of the injury that a lot of people don't understand and obviously Nick has expressed quite a bit about his journey through it all. But in a moment like that, hearing that news, you pray that it's not that, you pray that hopefully he's healthy, but that's tough news to hear."