CLEVELAND — Nick Chubb deserved better.
More wins. A rushing title. A healthier knee. A stronger finish to what was a remarkable career, regardless of circumstances.
To play his final game with the Browns.
The longtime and former Browns running back retired Friday night, announcing the decision in an Instagram post.
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“Today’s the day I’ve been avoiding for a while,” he wrote. “Twelve year old me could never imagine this day, and 30 year old me is wondering where all the time has gone. I’ve known for some time now, but I’m finally ready to share that I’m done playing football.”
He never liked fanfare, so it was fitting for him to simply write a heartfelt goodbye and post it after 9 o’clock on a Friday, when the news cycle and many of his fans were already asleep. He deserves every bit of praise that has and will come his way.
Chubb, 30, is one of the five best Browns players since the franchise returned in 1999. At his peak, he was the best pure runner in the NFL.
He is one of four running backs in NFL history who averaged more than 5 yards a carry while logging at least 1,000 carries. Jim Brown, Jamaal Charles and Joe Perry are the others. Chubb finished with 1,462 rushes, 7,349 yards, 54 touchdowns and a 5.0 average.
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The average dipped the last two seasons following a catastrophic knee injury that robbed him of his speed and ultimately ended his career. Before the horrible Monday night in Pittsburgh, the average was 5.26.
Chubb was a four-time Pro Bowler in five healthy seasons. He finished second in the NFL in rushing twice and set a career high with 1,525 in 2022. His knee exploded on a hit by Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick in Week 2 the next season.
Chubb had recovered from a similar injury while at the University of Georgia, and then-general manager John Dorsey drafted him at No. 35 in 2018. He didn’t need long to create memories that Browns fans will never forget.
Coach Hue Jackson was reluctant to play him early in his first season, then Chubb went for 105 yards and two long touchdowns in three carries vs. Oakland. Dorsey traded veteran Carlos Hyde, and Chubb was the man until he got hurt.
Coach Kevin Stefanski called him the model player. He worked incredibly hard, didn’t say much and was never a distraction. His teammates also loved that about him.
As well as his talent.
He ran with power, determination and speed. He would break tackles at the line, then explode in the secondary. He could put his head down to get a first down, as well as outrunning the defense.
The highlights fill a reel. One that encapsulates the player and personality came in a home game against the Texans. He burst through the line late in the fourth quarter and was headed to the end zone when he realized the team would be better served if he didn’t score and the clock could expire to preserve the win, so he ran out of bounds.
That’s Nick Chubb.
He was also the guy who returned to his high school every offseason to work out, inspire kids and set a personal record for weight squatted. He loved Batman, even opening up to one media member about the passion when he despised interviews.
He looked like a potential Hall of Famer before the injury. His run of greatness probably wasn’t long enough to wind up in Canton. He needed more years and wins. The Browns went to the playoffs twice in his tenure and lost way more than they won.
“Like all competitors, I wanted to be the best,” he wrote. “But not just the best… Unequivocally the best. No question, the best.
“In college, I wanted to win the Heisman, become an All American, and win a National Championship. In the NFL, I wanted to lead the league in rushing, win MVP, and win a Super Bowl for the city of Cleveland. I wasn’t able to accomplish any of those things. And what’s most frustrating, but also gives me peace, is that I know for a fact I gave it my all.”
Maybe nobody gets what they deserve. Or it’s random who does.
Chubb will work through that.
“I know I put myself in the right position to achieve all of those things. But it just didn’t happen for me,” he wrote. “I know there’s a deeper meaning in that, one that I hope to understand someday. But if not, I’ll understand that it’s just life.”
Chubb’s final chapter was depressing and inspiring.
He didn’t give up after the injury in Pittsburgh. He dedicated himself to a return and made it back the following season. He wasn’t the same and the Browns moved on after 2024. He played last season with the Texans, rushing for 506 yards and three touchdowns and making the playoffs.
He wasn’t the same player and didn’t look right in the different jersey.
“Dealing with injuries was something else that wasn’t part of the plan,” he said. “The only thing I could control after hurting my knee twice was getting back up, getting back to work, and getting back on the field. And I was able to do that both times.
“At 28, it’s different. You understand that you have the rest of your life to look forward to. And that’s exactly what I started to do.”
Chubb will soon be inducted into the Browns Legends. He should always be remembered as one of the franchise’s best.
“Till the day that I die, it will always be: GO DAWGS. GO BROWNS!!! Batman out,” he wrote.
