Nick Chubb has message for Cleveland fans ahead of his return

Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb is expected to make his return to the gridiron Sunday, perfect timing for a reeling Browns team who just traded wide receiver Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills. The 1-5 Browns play the 2-4 Cincinnati Bengals in what feels like a must-win game for both teams if either want to make any noise toward the end of the season.

Chubb is returning from a gruesome knee injury suffered in Week 2 of the 2023 season. He underwent surgery to repair both his MCL and ACL. Ahead of his return Sunday, Chubb wanted to send a message to the fans and city of Cleveland. In a piece for the Players' Tribune posted to his X account , Chubb shared his thoughts.

"I was meant for this city," Chubb wrote . "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. That's why it hurt me so bad to go down last season. We were just starting to cook... There's only one thing left to do now. I gotta pay ya back ."

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Chubb is right. At the time of his injury, the Browns were 1-1, but Cleveland made the playoffs a season ago, finishing with an 11-6 record and snagging the AFC's five-seed. They lost in the Wild Card round to the Houston Texans 45-14 , but that result may have been different if Chubb hadn't gotten hurt.

The 2022 season, Chubb's last full year, was his best. He rushed for 1,525 yards and 12 touchdowns, extending his 1,000-yard rushing season streak to four. He fumbled only once. When Chubb takes the field Sunday it will have been 398 days since he last played. He's probably itching to get into the end zone, and the Browns will need him to in order to turn their season around. Kickoff is at 1 p.m.

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