It’s no secret that Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has a lot of respect for Nick Chubb, a player Tomlin admiringly refers to as “Mr. Chubb” whenever he is asked about the Browns’ veteran running back. After years of competing against him, Tomlin has reportedly been thinking about what it would be like to have the former Pro Bowler on his team.
Regarding Chubb, the Steelers are very interested in possibly signing the soon-to-be free agent, according to 93.7 The Fan, provided that Chubb’s medical report checks out.
Chubb, 29, was one of the NFL’s premier running backs prior to suffering a serious knee injury against the Steelers in Week 2 of the 2023 season. The injury sidelined Chubb for the final 15 games of that season as well as the first six games of the 2024 campaign. He played in eight games before he suffered a season-ending foot injury during Cleveland’s Week 15 loss to the Chiefs.
When he was healthy last season, Chubb did not produce the way he had prior his knee injury. His 3.3 yards-per-carry average last year was the lowest of his career and way below his career average of 5.1. Chubb did average 4.45 yards during his final two games of the 2024 season, a possible sign that the four-time Pro Bowler was beginning to rediscover his rhythm.
Chubb’s biggest workload last year came against the Steelers in Week 12. Playing in a blizzard on Thursday night, Chubb ran for 59 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries while helping lead the Browns to a 24-19 win over their longtime rival.
Chubb’s success against Pittsburgh last season wasn’t a surprise, as he has had several big games against the Steelers during his seven-year career. One of Chubb’s better games against Pittsburgh took place in the 2020 playoffs, when Chubb tallied 145 all-purpose yards that included a 40-yard touchdown catch off of a screen pass that proved to be the game-winning score.
Chubb stands alongside Hall of Famer Joe Thomas and current teammate and 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett as the Browns’ best players since the franchise returned to the NFL in 1999. But despite his status as a Browns great, Chubb’s time with the franchise may be indeed coming to an end, as he is set to test the market for the first time when the legal tampering period begins on March 10.
Despite his recent injuries, Chubb should have a decent market given his past production as well as his ability to pick up tough yards on short-yardage situations. Chubb’s ideal fit would be somewhere where he can split the workload with another back while playing within an offense that has other weapons already in place.
The Steelers are apparently one of the teams that will likely show interest in Chubb, especially if Pittsburgh decides not to re-sign Najee Harris, its former Pro Bowl running back who like Chubb is also slated to become an unrestricted free agent.
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