CLEVELAND, Ohio — Nick Chubb’s Browns career ended on Monday when he signed a one-year deal with the Houston Texans.
Many argue Chubb has a case for being the second-best running back in team history behind Jim Brown, rushing for 6,843 yards and 51 touchdowns in 85 career games.
He made four Pro Bowls and had 30 games of 100 yards rushing or more.
Here’s a look back at the most notable moments in Chubb’s Browns career.
Apr. 27, 2018: Nick Chubb becomes a Brown
In hindsight, it was fitting that Jim Brown, the greatest running back in Browns history, announced the Browns’ selection of Chubb with the 35th pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Chubb was the fourth running back chosen in this draft behind first-round pick Saquon Barkley, Rashaad Penny and Sony Michel. Of the four, only Barkley and Chubb got carries in 2024.
Sept. 9, 2018: Chubb makes his regular season debut
Chubb saw limited reps in his first regular season game when the Browns hosted the Steelers to open the season. He had just three carries, but he gained 21 yards, 17 of which came on one play.
In fact, the three carries he had in that game tied for the most he had in any of his first six games.
The game ended in a 21-21 tie, a result that ended a 17-game losing streak that dated back to Christmas Eve of 2016 vs. the Chargers. Two weeks later, they finally got their first win since that Christmas Eve game when they beat the Jets on a Thursday night, 21-17. Chubb had just two carries for six yards, but he was poised for a breakout.
Sept. 30, 2018: Chubb’s breakout performance in Oakland
Week 4 of the season was the first clear indication Chubb was going to be a special player.
On his first carry of the game, which came in the second quarter, Chubb dashed up the right side for a 63-yard touchdown vs. the Raiders. He added a 41-yard TD run in the fourth quarter.
The Browns lost this game in overtime, 45-42. Despite the loss, Chubb finished the game with 105 yards rushing and two touchdowns on only three carries.
Oct. 19, 2018: Browns trade Carlos Hyde, freeing up Chubb to become RB1
GM John Dorsey made a move to give Chubb more of an opportunity to prove himself, trading veteran Carlos Hyde to the Jaguars for a fifth-round pick in 2019.
Chubb got his first NFL start in the following game vs. the Buccaneers and rushed 18 times for 80 yards and a touchdown in a 26-23 overtime loss.
Nov. 11, 2018: Chubb makes Browns history
Just 10 games into his NFL career, Chubb entered his name into the Browns record books.
Against the Falcons, Chubb set a franchise record with a 92-yard touchdown run, with an assist from fellow rookie Antonio Callaway, who helped direct him.
The Browns won the game, 28-16, and Chubb had a career-high 176 yards rushing in the game.
Sept. 29, 2019: Chubb outruns the Ravens and Baker Mayfield for 88 yards
2019 was not a great season for the Browns as they had a disappointing 6-10 season. But one of the bright spots came in Week 4 vs. the Ravens.
Chubb broke off an 88-yard touchdown run in a 40-25 win in Baltimore.
The play was also notable for Baker Mayfield’s attempt to keep pace with Chubb, a sight that amused many.
Chubb finished with 165 yards and three touchdowns.
Dec. 17, 2019: Chubb earns first Pro Bowl nod
After proving he was more than a rookie sensation, Chubb earned the first of four consecutive Pro Bowl selections in 2019.
Chubb finished the 2019 season with 298 carries for 1,494 yards (5.0 yards per carry) and eight touchdowns. He also had seven 100-yard games in 2019.
Nov. 15, 2020: Chubb returns from first NFL injury, ices win with unselfish 59-yard run
Chubb suffered an MCL sprain in Week 4 of 2020 vs. the Cowboys and missed four games as a result.
When he returned in Week 10 vs. the Texans, he looked like his usual self, rushing for 126 yards and a touchdown in a 10-7 win.
Also in the game, he had a 59-yard run late in the game in the final minutes, and he purposely stepping out of bounds at Houston’s 1-yard line, foregoing a touchdown to allow Baker Mayfield to take two knees and run out the clock.
The win started a four-game winning streak for the Browns.
Jan. 3, 2021: Chubb’s 47-yard TD run helps lift Browns to playoff berth
The Browns hosted the Steelers in a win-and-in Week 17 game, and Chubb got the scoring started with a 47-yard touchdown run against a Pittsburgh team sitting several key starters.
Chubb finished with 108 yards rushing to help the Browns win, 24-22, and clinch their first playoff spot since 2002.
Jan. 10, 2021: Browns win first playoff game in 27 years behind Chubb’s fourth quarter TD
Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field, which is now Acrisure Stadium, had long been a house of horrors for the Browns. They also had to play there in the AFC Wild Card round without Kevin Stefanski, who was in COVID-19 protocol.
Facing the Steelers for the second week in a row, the Browns raced out to a 28-0 lead.
After the Steelers cut the deficit to 12 late in the third quarter, head coach Mike Tomlin made a debatable decision to punt on a 4th-and-1 from his 46-yard line to start the fourth quarter.
The Browns went on a six-play, 80-yard touchdown drive capped off by a 40-yard touchdown by Chubb on a screen pass. It was also Chubb’s first receiving touchdown in a game since his rookie season.
The score essentially put the game away as the Browns won, 48-37, for their first playoff win since New Year’s Eve in 1994.
Nov. 7, 2021: Chubb dashes 70 yards through the Bengals defense
Joe Burrow and the Bengals were on their way to a Super Bowl in the 2021 season. But the Browns swept the eventual AFC champions that season, starting with a 41-16 rout in Cincinnati.
Chubb rushed for 137 yards and two touchdowns, highlighted by a 70-yard run for a touchdown.
Unfortunately for Chubb, this is the last run of 60-plus yards so far in his career.
Sept. 18, 2022: Chubb doesn’t repeat his past as Browns collapse after late touchdown
Nick Chubb’s third touchdown vs. the Jets in Week 2, a 12-yard run, felt like a simple play to put a game away. It gave the Browns a 30-17 lead with 1:55 to go.
However, the Jets, who didn’t have a timeout, scored 14 points in the final 1:22 to pull off a shocking 31-30 win in Cleveland. The collapse kept the Browns from starting the season 2-0.
It also led to a question of why Chubb didn’t just step out of bounds and let the Browns run out the clock like he did in 2020 vs. the Texans.
Despite the decision that led to second guessing, Chubb had his best season in 2022, rushing for a career-high 1,525 yards and 12 touchdowns, earning his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl and second team All-Pro honors.
Sept. 18, 2023: Chubb suffers gruesome knee injury vs. Steelers
It was a moment so graphic that the ESPN broadcast of Monday Night Football between the Browns and Steelers in Pittsburgh didn’t show a replay.
Chubb, widely considered the heart and soul of the Browns, was injured on a low hit by Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick early in the second quarter. He was then carted off with an air cast and Steelers fans even chanted his name.
Chubb needed a major left knee reconstruction, which is the second time that happened in his career. The first came back when he was at Georgia in 2015. He had two surgeries to repair a torn ACL, MCL, meniscus and medial capsule.
He rehabbed for 13 months before making his eventual return to the field.
Dec. 28, 2023: Chubb dons Batman mask, smashes guitar before Browns playoff clinching victory
Joe Flacco’s arrival sparked a surprising run to the precipice of the playoffs for the Browns.
They needed to beat the Jets in Week 17 on a Thursday night at home to clinch a playoff spot.
For the big night, they called on Chubb to participate in their newest tradition: the pregame guitar smash. Chubb walked onto the field in a Batman mask and got the crowd at Cleveland Browns Stadium hyped with his guitar smash.
Flacco and the Browns followed his cue and routed the Jets, 37-20, to punch their ticket back to the postseason.
Oct. 20, 2024: Nick Chubb scores in his return from injury
For the first time in 398 days, Nick Chubb was back on an NFL field for the Cleveland Browns.
And it was fitting that in his return, he had the first touchdown of the game for the Browns when he scored from a yard out in the final minute of the first half.
The Browns lost the game, 21-14, and lost Deshaun Watson to a ruptured Achilles. But it was a feel-good story to see Chubb back on the field considering the significant injury he suffered in Pittsburgh.
Chubb rushed for 22 yards on 11 carries.
Dec. 15, 2024: Chubb suffers season-ending broken foot
While it was great to see Chubb back in brown and orange, he just wasn’t the same player in 2024 as he worked his way back from injury.
He rushed 102 times for 332 yards and three touchdowns in eight games.
His season ended early when he broke his foot in a 21-7 loss to the Chiefs in Week 15.
June 9, 2025: Nick Chubb signs with the Texans
Nick Chubb’s tenure in Cleveland officially ended when he signed a one-year deal with the Houston Texans.
The writing appeared to be on the wall when the Browns drafted two running backs — Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson — in the 2025 NFL Draft in late April and got Jerome Ford to take a pay cut of about 50%.
2025 will be the first time since the great Jim Brown announced his name that Chubb will play for a team other than the Browns.
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