Nick Chubb spent the final season of his career with the Houston Texans, but the four-time Pro Bowler made it clear where his roots remain while announcing his retirement.
Chubb, 30, announced Friday that he is stepping away after eight NFL seasons. He reflected on the goals he fell short of reaching, the injuries he overcame and the peace that came from knowing he emptied the tank.
“In the NFL, I wanted to lead the league in rushing, win MVP, and win a Super Bowl for the city of Cleveland,” Chubb wrote. “I wasn’t able to accomplish any of those things. … And what’s most frustrating, but also gives me peace, is that I know for a fact I gave it my all. I know I put myself in the right position to achieve all of those things. But it just didn’t happen for me.”
Chubb played only one of his eight seasons outside Cleveland, rushing for 506 yards and three touchdowns with the Texans in 2025. He became a free agent after the season and had not signed with a team.
Despite finishing elsewhere, Chubb closed his retirement message by showing that he still considers himself a member of the Browns family.
“Go Browns,” he said before signing off with, “Batman out.”
View this post on Instagram Nick Chubb Became Browns Fan FavoriteThe Browns selected Chubb in the second round of the 2018 draft, with franchise icon Jim Brown announcing the pick. Chubb quickly became one of the NFL’s most productive running backs and one of Cleveland’s most popular athletes.
He rushed for 996 yards as a rookie despite starting only nine games. Chubb topped 1,000 yards in each of the next four seasons, earning four consecutive Pro Bowl selections from 2019 through 2022.
His best statistical season came in 2022, when he rushed for 1,525 yards and 12 touchdowns while averaging 5.0 yards per carry. He earned second-team All-Pro honors and came up just short of the rushing title.
Chubb finished his Browns tenure with 6,843 rushing yards and 51 rushing touchdowns. He ranks third in franchise history in both categories, trailing only Hall of Famers Jim Brown and Leroy Kelly.
However, Chubb’s quiet personality, work ethic and team-first approach made him more than a collection of statistics in Cleveland.
“Nick always puts winning above any personal accolade, and that is what makes him so special,” team owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam said in a statement after his departure for Houston. “Thank you for being a Brown, Nick, and we look forward to the day we celebrate your career as a member of our Ring of Honor.”
Former Browns backfield partner Kareem Hunt was among those who responded to Chubb’s retirement announcement.
“Love you bro still one of the greatest nothing left to prove,” Hunt wrote. “I’ll be in touch.”
Nick Chubb Defined by Legendary ResilienceGettyNick Chubb drags defenders in a game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Chubb’s numbers made him one of the best running backs of his generation. His ability to keep returning from devastating injuries made his career even more remarkable.
Chubb suffered a catastrophic left knee injury at Georgia in 2015, tearing multiple ligaments and dislocating the knee. He returned and rebuilt himself into a top draft prospect.
Eight years later, Chubb injured the same knee against the Pittsburgh Steelers in September 2023. The damage required two surgeries to repair his medial capsule, meniscus, MCL and ACL.
“Dealing with injuries was something else that wasn’t part of the plan,” Chubb wrote in his retirement message. “The only thing I could control after hurting my knee twice was getting back up, getting back to work, and getting back on the field. And I was able to do that both times.”
His first game back came against the Cincinnati Bengals. Chubb scored a touchdown in front of the home crowd, providing one of the most memorable moments of an otherwise difficult Browns season.
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