Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb is in line to make his return to NFL action this week after more than a year out of action. The four-time Pro-Bowler wrote about his injury and recovery in an article for the Players’ Tribune Wednesday.

“When you get hurt like I got hurt, the weird thing is that you don’t even really feel anything,” Chubb wrote. “But you hear everything. You hear that weird silence in the crowd. You can sense your teammates kind of gathering around you.”

In Week 2 of the 2023 season, Chubb suffered a torn MCL and damaged ACL in a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was a devastating injury to the same knee he had surgically repaired in 2015 as a Georgia Bulldog. It could have ended his career. 

In his Players’ Tribune piece, the running back claimed that he thought he would never play in the NFL again. He talked about support from his family, as well as excruciating bouts of physical therapy and training. He admitted to having dark days, though he didn’t go into detail. At the end, he said that the city of Cleveland and his team were the last sources of motivation he needed.

“I’ve tried to work my ass off every day to get us where we need to go, and even though we have gotten close, I feel like I have serious unfinished business,” Chubb wrote. “I can’t stop until I prove to everybody that I’m the undisputed best running back in this league, and I definitely can’t stop until we get the Browns back to the top of the AFC. It’s been too damn long.”

After more than a year, Chubb is expected to return for the Browns in Week 7 against the Bengals. The 28-year-old back may or may not deal with a full workload, if he plays at all, but that’s not the point. In front of a home crowd Sunday, Chubb will finally be able to compete again in front of Cleveland fans, who have loved him since his earliest days with the franchise. If it comes to fruition, it could be one of the most meaningful moments of the season, an opportunity for a fanbase to welcome a beloved player home.

Last season, the Cleveland Browns surprised many by finishing with a winning record for the first time since 2007. The franchise even ended their 18-year playoff drought. Not only that, but they also secured their first playoff win by defeating the Steelers in the Wild Card round.The Browns will look to build on last season’s success and continue to rise as a competitive team in a tough AFC North division.

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Cleveland Browns Schedule:

• Week 1: Sun 09/12 at Kansas City Chiefs
• Week 2: Sunday 09/19 vs Houston Texans
• Week 3: Sun 09/26 vs Chicago Bears
• Week 4: Sun 10/03 at Minnesota Vikings
• Week 5: Sun 10/10 vs Los Angeles Chargers
• Week 6: Sun 10/17 vs Arizona Cardinals
• Week 7: Thu 10/21 vs Denver Broncos
• Week 8: Sun 10/31 vs Pittsburgh Steelers
• Week 9: Sun 11/07 at Cincinnati Bengals
• Week 10: Sun 11/14 at New England Patriots
• Week 11: Sun 11/21 vs Detroit Lions
• Week 12: Sun 11/28 at Baltimore Ravens
• Week 13: BYE
• Week 14: Sun 12/12 vs Baltimore Ravens
• Week 15: Sun 12/19 vs Las Vegas Raiders
• Week 16: Sat 12/25 at Green Bay Packers
• Week 17: Mon 01/03 at Pittsburgh Steelers
• Week 18: Sun 01/09 vs Cincinnati Bengals

AFC North: The Browns will be fighting in a three-way battle with two other contending teams within the division. The Steelers and Ravens will give the Browns some trouble if they want to win this season’s division title. The Browns will struggle against the revamped Ravens offense led by Lamar Jackson. In regards to the Steelers, Cleveland split last year’s regular-season series, but Cleveland won when it mattered in the postseason. Pittsburgh continues to be led by an aging quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger, and the Browns defense seemed to finally have his number in the 2020 NFL Playoffs. With Odell Beckham Jr. returning from a season-ending injury, the Browns’ offense could be as explosive as ever this season with Baker Mayfield at the helm, Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt in the backfield, and Beckham, Jarvis Landry and Rashard Higgins catching passes. Between the team’s strong defense and their revamped offense, the Browns are not to be taken lightly in 2021.

Matchups: Cleveland will open its season with a tough game against Patrick Mahomes and the reigning AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs. Another tough game for Cleveland will be against the Packers, but that game will depend on whether Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers gets his trade from the team or not. The Ravens will be difficult considering they easily beat the Browns both times last season. Cleveland also has some favorable matchups such as their games against the Lions, Bengals, Broncos and Patriots.

Overall: The Browns will not have much trouble except for their inter-division rivals in the Ravens and Steelers. Their Chiefs and Packers game may be out of reach for the Browns, but the rest of their schedule will be much easier.

Prediction: The Browns will finish 12-5, second in their division. They will qualify for the playoffs for the second consecutive season.

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The Cleveland Browns look like serious Super Bowl contenders for this upcoming season. With QB Baker Mayfield earning the starting job halfway through his rookie season, he’s proven himself as the doable leader to conduct this Browns team forward. Former head coach Hue Jackson was fired back in October and the team hired within the staff to appoint defensive coordinator Gregg Williams as head coach to finish out the season. After losing in the playoffs, the Browns hired Freddie Kitchens as the new head coach. General Manager John Dorsey has put his chips all in for this upcoming season, with the signings of former Kansas City Chiefs RB Kareem Hunt, and trading for All-Pro superstar WR Odell Beckham Jr.

Hunt has an eight game suspension to serve at the beginning of the regular season after an abuse altercation with his girlfriend. The Chiefs released the RB after a video from the hotel that proved as evidence back in November. The Browns pounced on the free agent in February, but has a suspension to serve after violating the league’s conduct policy. With Hunt missing half of the season, Duke Johnson and Nick Chubb will have to pick up the tough workload that comes with being a running back in the NFL. But during the first day of minicamp, Johnson revealed he has requested for a trade.

Johnson unveiled that Dorsey placed him on the trading block earlier this offseason, shopping for options to improve the team in other categories.

“I want to be somewhere I am wanted. I think at the end of the day that is all this is about is about being somewhere you are wanted,” Johnson said, according to Cleveland.com. “Nothing has changed. The only difference between last week and this week is this is mandatory, and I am here.”

Johnson was a third-round pick back in 2015 and has rushed for over 1200 yards in his four seasons with the Browns. Chubb had an outstanding rookie year last season and took over the starting role, setting the franchise record for most yards by a rookie.

Reporters asked Mayfield what the locker room situation is like with Johnson revealing he wants to be traded. “It’s not awkward, it’s self-inflicted,” Mayfield said, according to ESPN. “It’s not awkward for anyone else in this building. He’s got to do his job. He said he’s a professional. I hope he does his job.”

The NFL season is waning. Teams are playing on Saturday, the Lions are out of playoff contention, and it’s week 16. Of course, that means that the Pro Bowl selections are released.

2019 Pro Bowl Rosters Released

Drew Brees and Patrick Mahomes will lead their conferences at quarterback. The Los Angeles Chargers have the most players on the rosters with six. The Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints all follow with five selections each. Somehow, the 11-3 Los Angeles Rams only have four selections, one of which is a special teamer. The Oakland Raiders, Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers had no players selected. Tom Brady nabbed his 14th selection, tied for most all time.

That’s not to say the selections were perfect. Oakland, tied with Arizona for the worst record in the league, (3-11) traded away likely defensive player of the year Khalil Mack to the Bears.  Alvin Kamara was snubbed due to a stacked NFC running back position. He even took to Twitter to vent minutes after the announcement.

Running backs Nick Chubb and Christian McAffrey were also snubbed. McAffery could very well get to 2,000 all-purpose yards without playing in the game. Chubb has 860 yards despite only having seven starts. Another notable snub was Indianapolis QB Andrew Luck. Luck is a likely favorite for comeback player of the year.

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With 3,951 yards and 34 touchdowns, Luck probably should’ve beat out Brady for a spot on the roster. Star kicker Justin Tucker was similar to Kamara, taking to Twitter in confusion after his snub. The kicker has made 28 of 30 field goal attempts this season, with both of his misses coming because of blocks.

Here’s a link to the full list of NFL rosters. Fans, coaches and players all have an equally weighted say in the selections, with each section of voting counting for one-third of the vote. This year’s Pro Bowl will be held at Camping World Stadium in Orlando on January 27 at 3 p.m. EST.