Cleveland Browns star running back Nick Chubb was carted off the field with what appeared to be a serious knee injury. during his team’s 26-22 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night.
Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick came in low for a tackle at the end of a five-yard run early in the second quarter and took a swing at Chubb’s legs. Chubb remained on the ground for several minutes as his teammates gathered in prayer nearby. He finally left in a car. ESPN chose not to show replays of the incident.
“I’m told the replay of Nick Chubb’s injury can’t be seen,” announcer Joe Buck said.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said after the game that he expects Chubb to miss the rest of the season.
Kevin Stefanski says running back Nick Chubb finished the season with a major knee injury #Browns
– Jake Trotter (@Jake_Trotter) September 19, 2023
Chubb suffered a serious injury to the same knee in 2015 while in college at Georgia: a dislocation with three torn ligaments. That injury forced Chubb to miss the second half of his sophomore year, but he surpassed 1,000 rushing yards again in 2016 and 2017. He was a second-round pick of the Browns in 2018. Over the past six years, he has been one of one of the Browns’ few constants, averaging more than 1,250 rushing yards per season for a team that has slowly emerged as a contender in the AFC North.
NBA star and Ohio native LeBron James and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson were among those who expressed support for Chubb on social media.
DAMN MAN!!!! 🤦🏾♂️. 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾Nick Chubb. Praying for the best
– LeBron James (@KingJames) September 19, 2023
James posted that he was “praying for the best” and Jackson expressed a similar sentiment.
The Steelers’ defense was vital in Pittsburgh’s victory, scoring on an interception return by Alex Highsmith and a fumble recovery by TJ Watt. They harassed Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson all night, sacking him six times. Watt also became the Steelers’ all-time sack leader when he recorded the 81.5th of his career.
“He’s the best in the league at what he does,” Highsmith said of Watt after the game. “I’m just grateful to play alongside him.”
The Browns thought they were deprived of a fourth-down pass interference call as they drove to win the game in the final two minutes, but it was ruled incomplete and the Steelers took a knee to run out the clock and end the game.
Watson was once again poor for the Browns, a problem that makes the loss of Chubb seem even more detrimental for Cleveland. He was 22 of 40 for 235 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He was also flagged twice for unsportsmanlike conduct for grabbing a Steeler’s mask while running. The sanctions cut short a couple of promising plays.
Kenny Pickett and the Steelers offense also struggled. Pickett was 15 of 30 for 222 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
In Monday’s other game, Tony Jones Jr ran for two touchdowns, rookie Blake Grupe scored two field goals and the New Orleans Saints defeated the Carolina Panthers 20-17 to improve to 2-0 for the first time since 2013.
Jones, who was elevated from the practice squad, replaced the injured Jamaal Williams late in the first half and ran for 34 yards on 12 carries. The Saints defense did the rest, limiting Panthers rookie quarterback Bryce Young, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, to 153 passing yards in his Monday Night Football debut. New Orleans’ defense held winless Carolina to just 239 yards and sacked Young four times.
The Saints nearly went two complete games without allowing a touchdown before allowing a three-yard touchdown pass from Young to Adam Thielen with 1:16 left in the game.