If it weren’t for Pittsburgh Steelers S Minkah Fitzpatrick, Cleveland Browns RB Kareem Hunt’s career may have been over. It was a knee injury to RB Nick Chubb caused by a hit by Fitzpatrick that facilitated Hunt’s NFL return a few weeks into the 2023 season, having previously gone unsigned.
Upon his return, he recorded a career-high nine rushing touchdowns albeit at just three yards per carry. His run-success rate dipped to under 46 percent in 2023, the lowest mark since his rookie season when his numbers were dragged up by explosive plays.
His now former running backs coach, however, blames himself—and all of Hunt’s other coaches. For his entire career. Speaking on the Big Play Cleveland Show, he talked about how he believes his coaches have failed to get the most out of him. Hunt wasn’t let entirely off the hook, either.
“I don’t think I got all out of Kareem Hunt. It is what it is”, Stump Mitchell said. “I think Kareem has a lot more to give, but he has to change his mindset thinking he’s achieved everything because he hasn’t. Kareem is I would say above a five-yard-per-carry guy, but he hasn’t reached that yet because there’s just some minor things that he needs to do”.
Hunt had obviously had maturity and discipline issues in the past, both on and off the field. Mitchell’s remark about his needing to change his mindset is an interesting one, however. I don’t know how Hunt could believe he’s “achieved everything”—or perhaps he just thinks he’s that good.
He came out like gangbusters. In his first two seasons in the league with the Kansas City Chiefs, he was putting up quite a pace. In only 27 games, he rushed for 2,151 yards and added another 833 receiving. He had 15 rushing touchdowns and 10 receiving touchdowns, nearly one per game. It was only an off-field incident that derailed his Chiefs career.
Hunt’s only 1,000-yard rushing season was in his rookie year, though he has reached 1,000 yards from scrimmage three times. He’s only ever had one full season—his rookie year—as the featured back. In Cleveland, he has always been the two to Chubb’s one in their punch combo.
His most successful season in Cleveland was in 2020, another year in which Chubb missed time. He recorded 198 rushing attempts that year for 841 yards and six touchdowns. He added 37 receptions for 304 yards and five more touchdowns. His numbers have trended the wrong way since then, yet Mitchell continues to believe in his elite potential.
“The future is still bright for Kareem”, he insisted of the 28-year-old back. “I don’t think anyone that has coached him has gotten all out of him, and that’s the one thing I hate because I see myself in that list, too. I did not get all out of Kareem”.
Given the uncertainty that the Browns will get Chubb back at the start of the 2024 season, I would not be surprised if they retain Hunt. But there’s a reason that they made Jerome Ford their primary runner and not him. If he does return, he’ll reportedly have a new running backs coach in Duce Staley whose task it is to convince him he hasn’t done everything yet.
