Browns running back Nick Chubb has knee surgery and will require a second operation to mend a damaged ligament.
Nick Chubb, the Cleveland Browns’ standout running back, suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee two weeks ago against Pittsburgh.
CLEVELAND, Ohio (AP) – The Cleveland Browns’ top running back Nick Chubb suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee about two weeks ago on national television against Pittsburgh, the team revealed in a statement Saturday.
During surgery on Friday, team physician Dr. James Voos corrected damage to Chubb’s left medial capsule, meniscus, and medial collateral ligament, according to the Browns. Chubb will need to have a second operation to repair his ACL in the coming months.
There was some hope that Chubb had merely injured his MCL and stretched his ACL, but there was no way of knowing for sure until surgery.
The Browns anticipated in the report that the four-time Pro Bowler could recuperate and return “at some point during the 2024 season.”
Chubb tore the ligaments in the same knee in 2015 while playing for Georgia.
Chubb was hurt on Sept. 18 when Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick took a straight shot to the side of his knee. Fitzpatrick came in low on a tackle that collapsed Cleveland’s running back inside Pittsburgh’s 5-yard line.
Chubb, one of Cleveland’s most admired players, was carried off the field in tears.
The loss of Chubb is a significant blow to the Browns (2-1), who have relied on him in recent seasons.
The team has committed the rest of the season to Chubb, a solid and stoic 27-year-old running back who has 6,341 yards and 48 touchdowns in five seasons. He recorded 106 yards on the first play of the season and 64 yards on 10 carries against the Steelers before being injured. The Steelers triumphed 26-22.
Following the Browns’ win over Tennessee last week, Browns coach Kevin Stefanski personally presented a game ball to Chubb at his residence.
Second-year running back Jerome Ford took over for Chubb, while the Browns re-signed Kareem Hunt as a backup.
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Diontae Johnson, the Steelers’ wide receiver, is out; two players nearing the twilight of their careers will fill in.
When the Pittsburgh Steelers play Cleveland in Week 2, they will be missing injured wide receiver Diontae Johnson.
PITTSBURGH — Diontae Johnson isn’t sure what occurred.
The Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver was racing upfield with the ball in his hands early in the third quarter against San Francisco last Sunday, then he was making his way down the tunnel with a member of the training staff, his right hamstring throbbing and his immediate future seriously in doubt.
“I was just trying to make a play,” Johnson admitted on Thursday. “I put my foot in the ground and then just kind of fell.”
While Johnson believes his hamstring is healing, he will not play against Cleveland (1-0) on Monday night. There is no date for his return, so the Steelers will have to try to recover from their loss to the 49ers without a guy who has averaged 85 receptions since entering the league in 2019.
“It’s only the first game,” Johnson explained. “Didn’t really get to do what I wanted to do either.”
Specifically, get to the end zone.
Johnson spent the offseason trying to figure out how he failed to reach the end zone for 17 weeks. Kenny Pickett tried to force-feed Johnson the ball in the regular-season finale versus Cleveland in the hopes of converting the “zero” in the touchdown column to a crooked number.
It didn’t happen, and it now appears like the wait will be extended by at least one week, if not more.
“It’s frustrating,” Johnson admitted, “but my teammates and my little son keep me going.” I can’t just be grumpy or whatever since there’s nothing I can do about the issue.”
Other than rehab and hoping that two players towards the conclusion of their careers can help pick up the slack.
Calvin Austin III missed his whole rookie season due to a Lisfranc injury in his left foot a year ago. He spent training camp attempting to make up for lost time by displaying the outstanding speed that drew the Steelers to him in the 2022 selection. He caught six catches for 37 yards in his first regular-season game, getting praise from Pickett for always being where he’s meant to be when he’s supposed to be there.
Pickett and Austin formed that bond as rookies last summer and virtually resumed where they left off before Austin was injured.
Allen Robinson II’s life hasn’t been the same since. The Steelers acquired the now 30-year-old from the Los Angeles Rams in the summer, thinking he could serve as a mentor to Pittsburgh’s fairly young wide receivers group, which includes Austin and 22-year-old George Pickens, while also occasionally assisting on the field.
With Johnson absent, occasionally may turn into frequently. He took 56 snaps and caught five catches for 64 yards, his most productive game in two years. After Johnson’s departure, he had three catches and five of his eight targets.
Not bad for a 10-year veteran coming off a season marred by injuries with the Rams. He played in just ten games and had a career-low average yardage per game (33.9).
A 31-yard catch-and-run versus the 49ers demonstrated that the foot condition that had him on injured reserve was no longer an issue. It also hinted that there’s a little life – maybe more than a little – in the legs that eclipsed 1,000 yards receiving in a season three times while playing for teams not exactly recognized for their passing prowess (Jacksonville and Chicago).
Robinson is uninterested in looking in the rearview mirror. When asked if he has anything to prove, he instead focuses on the things the Steelers signed him to do that won’t appear on a stat sheet: becoming an effective edge blocker and being the experienced pro to Austin, Pickens, and others that he lacked in his early days in the league in Jacksonville a decade ago.
“If I ever could get people brain food as far as experience and things that I’ve been through, you know, I’ve tried to do that,” he stated.
Perhaps because he now understands what he is missing. He was 21 years old when the Jaguars selected him in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He quickly found himself in a group with Allen Hurns and Marqise Lee. They were all under the age of 23.
“I wish I had somebody (back then) just give me some reinforcement,” added Robinson.
Robinson had to learn on his own in several ways. He’s now on the other side of things. Yes, he wants to be a part of the passing game. He also understands that he wasn’t brought in to pad the stat sheet, especially on an offense where Johnson is the only starting skill position player above the age of 25.
That doesn’t mean he believes those days are over. They’re not, according to the opening. Not entirely.
“I was able to make some plays (against the 49ers), which is what you want as a receiver to do,” he added, “but it’s not just about making some plays.” It’s about doing whatever it takes to obtain that victory.”
Notes: Following groin surgery, Steelers DT Cam Heyward was placed on injured reserve on Thursday. The 13-year veteran will be sidelined for at least four games.
