More than one year removed from his serious knee injury, Nick Chubb's long-awaited return will soon materialize.
Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said Friday that he expects Chubb to play in Sunday's home matchup against the cross-state rival Cincinnati Bengals.
Chubb, whom Stefanski deemed questionable to play, was a full participant in practice this week. The veteran running back will need to be activated off the physically unable to perform list before officially making his return, however.
Chubb began the final stretch of his recovery on Oct. 3 once the club opened his 21-day window to return from PUP. It's been a long road for the 28-year-old veteran, who suffered a horrific knee injury that tore multiple ligaments in Week 2 of last season. The injury required multiple surgeries.
"It didn't feel real. It felt like a dream," Chubb said upon his return to practice. "I've been battling this for a while now. It was great to get all that off my shoulders and finally get back out there."
For a one-win Browns team that has mightily struggled offensively, Chubb's on-field presence should be a shot in the arm for not just the trying unit but also for the Cleveland faithful cheering on their team during a trying season.
Cleveland currently boasts one of the worst offenses in the league, averaging 240.2 yards (32nd) and 15.8 points (29th) per game. The Browns' hampered offensive line has been a cause for concern all season and Chubb's presence won't automatically fix those issues, but the fan-favorite RB's return should provide a special moment for those in attendance at Huntington Bank Field.
Chubb has been one of the best rushers in the league when healthy. The former second-round pick was coming off a career-best 2022 season prior to the injury, when he produced 1,525 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns in his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl campaign.
The Browns kick off against the Bengals at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.
