BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Nick Chubb had a unique relationship with Cleveland, a football-silly city he grew to adore and one that loved him back.
asserted
that → have → him
On Friday, Chubb announced that he was retiring with the Browns, who signed him to a one-day contract so they could celebrate a career that came full circle.
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that → announce → career
Over seven seasons as a star running back with the Browns, Chubb gave his heart to what became a second home.
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what → give → heart
Now, he’ll finish where he started and finally get some closure.
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he → finish → closure
“A special place,” he said.
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he → say → ?
“You’ve got to be here to see it.”
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You → get → it
More at ease with the media than at any time during his playing career, Chubb smiled easily and often, even cracking a few jokes.
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Chubb → play → jokes
It was a day to reflect and remember the greatness of Chubb, a four-time Pro Bowler who rushed for 6,843 yards and scored 51 touchdowns for Cleveland while becoming one of the most beloved players in franchise history.
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who → reflect → history
Selected in the second round of the 2018 draft by the Browns out of Georgia, Chubb ran for 996 yards as a rookie and was seemingly on track to become one of the NFL’s all-time greats before suffering a devastating left knee injury in Week 2 against Pittsburgh in 2023.
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Chubb → select → 2023
Much like Hall of Famer Gayle Sayers, whose career was sabotaged by injury, Chubb has never dwelled on what might have been.
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what → sabotage → injury
Instead, he prefers to relish what he did accomplish, on and off the field.
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he → prefer → field
Besides the gaudy stats — he’s third in team history in yards rushing behind only Jim Brown (12,312) and Leroy Kelly (7,274) — Chubb fostered a number of lifelong friendships in Cleveland.
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Chubb → ’ → Cleveland
“I’m still at a good place,” he said when asked about his ranking.
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he → ’m → ranking
“Even beyond that, I was just happy to go out there and play hard for my teammates.”
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I → go → teammates
Few played with more purpose than the 30-year-old Chubb, who will be honored at Sunday’s home opener against Carolina.
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who → play → Carolina
Browns fans will once again serenade him with the same “Chubb! Chubb! Chubb!” chants that would break out whenever Cleveland needed to pick up a first down or score.
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Cleveland → serenade → down
Good things always happened with the ball cradled in his arms.
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things → happen → arms
“I got about two plays in me,” he said, smiling as 10 family members sat near him by the dais.
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members → got → dais
“Outside zone, that’s all I got.
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I → ’ → zone
Chubb received a hero’s welcome when he arrived at team headquarters on Friday.
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he → receive → Friday
Inside the building, Chubb was greeted by employees cheering for a player who won people over with his easygoing personality.
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who → greet → personality
“I’m not the best in those moments,” Chubb said, poking fun at his humility.
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Chubb → ’m → humility
“Everybody was clapping for me.
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Everybody → clap → me
I didn’t know what to do with my hands.”
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I → know → hands
Later, Chubb attended practice and coach Todd Monken had him address the team.
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him → attend → team
“It doesn’t take long to know what Nick’s about,” said Monken, who spent the 2019 season on Cleveland’s staff.
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who → take → staff
“He’s got to be one of the most respected players in the locker room who I’ve been around.”
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I → get → who
Following his knee injury in ‘23, Chubb worked hard to get back.
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Chubb → follow → 23
That burst of speed that allowed him to pull away from defenders had vanished.
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him → allow → defenders
He gained just 332 yards in eight games before a broken foot ended his 2024 season.
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foot → gain → season
The Browns released him and he signed last season with Houston.
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he → release → Houston
Chubb remains grateful his ending as a pro came on his terms, with his one year outside Cleveland only strengthening his bond with the Browns and the city.
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year → remain → Browns
It didn’t take long during the offseason for him to realize he was done.
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he → take → offseason
“I wasn’t playing for Cleveland anymore, so I didn’t feel like playing football,” he said.
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he → play → football
“It was just a time that I thought I pretty much had done all that I could. ...
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I → think → all
I feel like I gave it all I had, left it all out there and now it’s just time for me to figure out different things and figure out something else to do.”
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me → feel → something
On Sunday, he’ll get to take a final bow.
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he → get → bow
I know that,” he said of his return to Huntington Bank Field.
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he → know → Field
“I think for everybody, too, just with how things went here with me, how I had so much success and then just to get taken down like that and then never really come back.
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I → think → that
“It’s better closure for everyone just to see me finally back in the stadium and to be in high spirits, be up and walking and moving and just for me to be back in Cleveland — watching the Browns.”
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me → ’ → Browns
The Aporia
