CLEVELAND — After being stopped for lost yardage late against the Baltimore Ravens last December, Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb came up four yards short of 1,000 during his rookie season in 2018.
Although Chubb did not talk much about how frustrated he was to miss out on the benchmark for rushing success, he was determined not to let it happen again, and his hard work paid off. In just 10 games this season, Chubb eclipsed the 1,000-yard plateau.
“It means something to me,” Chubb said. “Hard work finally paying off.
“I’ve got to credit my linemen for opening up holes and doing everything right blocking-wise, and everybody plays a part in that, the receivers, the quarterback and the line, the tight ends. It’s not just me. It’s a reflection of the team and our ability to run the ball.”
Chubb has rushed for 1,011 yards, six touchdowns and 37 first downs with eight 20-yard gains and three 40-yard bursts. Additionally, Chubb caught 27 passes out of the backfield for 166 yards with one 20-yard gain and eight first downs.
Currently, Chubb is third in the NFL in rushing yards, just 48 yards behind Carolina Panthers standout Christian McCaffrey, second in carries, eighth in average yards per attempt and tied for 10th in rushing touchdowns.
Chubb’s 88-yard touchdown run in a 40-25 win over the Baltimore Ravens on September 29 is the second-longest rushing play in the NFL this season, and his 1,177 total scrimmage yards are fourth-most in the league.
Chubb is the NFL’s only player to reach at least 90 scrimmage yards in nine games this season. His 10 consecutive games with at least 75 scrimmage yards is the league’s longest active streak and is the first time for a Browns player since Earnest Byner achieved the feat in the 1985 and 1986 seasons.
Chubb has four 100-yard rushing games, three 40-yard scampers and was the first player to reach 1,000 rushing yards this season.
In addition to the statistics, Chubb is not one to celebrate his on-field accomplishments, and his respect for the game, as well as his teammates, coaches and opponents netted him a nomination for the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award.
“That’s just my mindset,” Chubb said. “That’s just my mental state. That’s just who I am. I don’t know. I just care about my teammates. I want to do whatever I can to put them in better positions, to help them out any way I can and just win games at the end of the day. Nothing else really matters to me but my team and winning.
“It means a lot to me because it’s who I am. It’s what I represent. I love my teammates. I like being a great teammate and being there for my team. It’s all about team. I’m a team guy.”
By being a “team guy,” Chubb is willing to split carries with another running back who has Pro Bowl potential, Kareem Hunt, over the final six games of the season in an effort to stack victories and get the Browns back into the playoff discussion.
“We’re just getting started,” Chubb said. “The sky’s the limit with what we can do with us in the backfield and on the field at the same time. I just look forward to each week, going out there and playing with another great player.”