BEREA, Ohio (AP) - Nick Chubb has pushed past most of the pain.
Speaking to reporters for the first time since his 2023 season ended in Week 2 with a gruesome knee injury on a carry near the goal line in Pittsburgh, Cleveland's star running back said Wednesday that his rehab following surgery is on track and he's looking forward to returning to the field for the Browns.
He's just not sure when that will be.
"I like where I'm at. I'm where I need to be," said Chubb, whose knee was blown out when he was hit from the side by Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. "I would say that the biggest thing for me is getting better every day."
The four-time Pro Bowler recently began running at the team's facility to rehab his left knee - the same one he injured in college at Georgia - and has been encouraged by his steady progress.
The Browns restructured Chubb's contract during the offseason, a sign they're confident he'll be able to help them at some point this season. He appreciated the team's unwavering support.
"A blessing," he said. "They could have just cut me dry and left me hanging, right? But they did a great job. I want to be here in Cleveland. They know that, so we came to a great point."
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Chubb, who has rushed for 6,511 yards in 77 games since being drafted in 2018, acknowledged there were some dark days after he got hurt. He tries not to reflect on that moment against the Steelers.
"I moved on. It happened so fast anyways," he said. "It was a blurry two weeks, so I don't think about it much. I'm just moving forward."
Chubb doesn't fault Fitzpatrick, who took some criticism for the low shot.
"I don't think it's a dirty hit at all," Chubb said. "I'm not blaming him. It's part of the game."
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