Browns' Nick Chubb Will Miss Rest of Season After Suffering Knee Injury vs. Steelers

Cleveland Browns star Nick Chubb will miss the rest of the season after suffering a significant knee injury during Monday night's 26-22 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters.

Josina Anderson of CBS Sports reported Chubb made a "precautionary" trip to the hospital, though he has since left:

NFL insider Jordan Schultz previously reported that there was fear that Chubb's season was over due to "a possible knee dislocation, potentially with multiple ligament damage."

The Browns are hoping for better results this season after a disappointing 7-10 record in 2022. Chubb was a bright spot on the offense with 1,525 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground.

Last season marked the first time Chubb didn't miss at least three games since 2019.

The Browns ruled Chubb out for their Week 10 game against the New England Patriots in 2021 after placing him on the reserve/COVID-19 list. They also had to play that game without backup running back Demetric Felton because of COVID-19 protocols.

Despite missing three games in 2021, Chubb still finished with 1,259 yards and eight rushing touchdowns.

Cleveland's ceiling for this season will be determined by how well quarterback Deshaun Watson plays. He looked rusty last year in his first game action since the 2020 campaign. Chubb's consistency out of the backfield took some of the pressure off Watson, but the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback needs to make strides on the field.

Unless Cleveland adds a running back, Jerome Ford—who had 131 total yards and a touchdown on 19 touches on Monday—figures to be the Browns' primary ball-carrier with Chubb out. The Browns also have Pierre Strong Jr. on their roster.