Deborah Walker
Sep 24, 2023 - 08:10

Nick Chubb knee injury: Optimistic early tests suggest potential avoidance of ACL tear for Browns RB, report reveals

Cleveland Browns' Nick Chubb suffers knee injury, early tests show no torn ACL, recovery timeline 6-8 months.

The Cleveland Browns suffered a devastating loss on Monday night, not only losing their first game of the season but also losing star running back Nick Chubb to a season-ending knee injury. Chubb was carted off the field during the second quarter of their 26-22 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers after a hit from Minkah Fitzpatrick.

Initial tests on Chubb's knee injury have provided some hope that he did not suffer a torn ACL, although doctors believe the ACL may have been stretched and he may still have a torn MCL. Chubb's recovery timeline is estimated to be between six and eight months. The full extent of the injury will be known after surgery.

The injury was so severe that the ESPN broadcast team chose not to show the replay, but the crowd's reaction on the jumbotron indicated the seriousness of the situation. Chubb received support from the crowd as he was taken off the field.

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed that Chubb will be out for the rest of the season. In his absence, backup running back Jerome Ford will take on a larger role. Ford had an impressive performance against the Steelers, rushing for 106 yards on 16 carries.

To help fill the void left by Chubb, the Browns have signed veteran running back Kareem Hunt. Hunt previously played for the Browns for four seasons and is familiar with the team's playbook. In the 2022 season, Hunt rushed for 468 yards and three touchdowns, while also contributing in the passing game with 35 receptions for 210 yards and a touchdown.

However, it is clear that no one player can fully replace Chubb's impact on the team. Chubb has consistently rushed for over a thousand yards in each of the past four seasons and had a strong start to the 2023 season with 170 rushing yards and an average of 6.1 yards per carry.

The Browns will face the Tennessee Titans at home in Week 3 without Chubb. It will be a challenging task to overcome his absence, but the team will look to Ford and Hunt to step up and contribute in his absence.