For Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry, it’s a matter of when – not if – running back Nick Chubb is back on the field. Appearing on the Pat McAfee Show Friday afternoon, Berry expressed confidence that Chubb will recover from the severe knee injury he suffered against the Pittsburgh Steelers early last season.
“First of all, nobody wants to bet against Batman,” Berry told the show. “We call him Batman here. Nick, he is a special player and special human being. He is doing well on his road to recovery. He has a long way to go because it was a serious knee injury. This past month, he actually started running on land.”
Berry’s reference to “running on land’ likely means Chubb graduated from running in a pool, common in a rehab schedule while a player builds up strength again.
Chubb was lost for the 2023 season in a Week 2 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, cut down by FS Minkah Fitzpatrick near the end zone. A legal tackle, even if some fans had issue with Fitzpatrick’s approach, but one that damaged multiple ligaments, including his ACL, and required multiple surgeries.
Since then, the Browns have maintained a positive posture about Chubb returning. While the team added backfield help in D’Onta Foreman and Nyheim Hines, Berry believes Chubb will return to form and become the Browns’ lead runner again.
“One of the moments we’re most looking forward to is when Nick Chubb runs out of that tunnel for his first home game in 2024,” he said. “I think it’ll be a special moment for our organization and our fans.”
Berry declined to put an exact timeline on when he thinks Chubb will return but reiterated his belief he’ll play sometime in 2024.
It would mark his second recovery from a terrible knee injury, suffering the first in 2015 while at Georgia. But he returned in 2016 to rush for over 1,100 yards and nine total touchdowns, becoming Cleveland’s second-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Since entering the league, he’s proven to be one of the league’s most talented runners with a rare blend of size and power. From 2018 to 2022, only Derrick Henry rushed for more than Chubb’s 6,341 yards and incredibly, he still ranks second even if you include his 2023 season, despite missing nearly the entire year.
Cleveland, like Pittsburgh, is looking for its offense to be a complete version of itself in 2024. The Browns haven’t gotten good return on investment after acquiring Deshaun Watson, the QB plagued by suspension, injuries, and average play when he’s been on the field. With an aging offensive line and questions in the running game, they’re looking to not just win in the regular season but capture a playoff victory. Pittsburgh, for different reasons, is in a similar boat. And at some point this year, they’ll likely have to deal with stopping Nick Chubb and the Browns’ running game.
