RB Nick Chubb (11.11.20)
RB Nick Chubb:
On how it felt to be back at practice and how his knee is feeling:
“It feels great being back out there with the team. It has been about five weeks, and I been bored of sitting here and rehabbing every day so I was excited to get out there and actually get to run and hang out with the boys on the field.”
On the dynamics of the Browns offense without WR Odell Beckham Jr. and what he and RB Kareem Hunt hope to do as a tandem:
“I think Odell definitely knows he is part of this team. It was tough seeing him go down the way that he did. It is next man up. Everyone has to do our job, whether you are a receiver, running back or tight end. Everybody has to make plays and try to be special because Odell is special player. I do not think anybody can be Odell in any kind of way, but we can all just play hard for him and for each other.”
On if he imagined how he could have contributed in the Raiders game when watching:
“I am not sure. It probably would have been the same thing if I was playing. Who knows? I think the Raiders did a great job of beating us at our own game. I give props to them.”
On if the knee injury he sustained at Georgia helped him in his recovery this season:
“For sure. This was nothing compared to what I have been through in the past. It was just maybe like a little hiccup. It is what it is. I can’t control those things. I have to get better from it and learn from it in any and every way, which I did. I am still blessed to be able to be here and not miss a whole season. It is what it is. That is behind me now. I am looking forward to getting out there on the field with the team.”
On if his knee felt good in practice this week:
“It did.”
On if he is confident he can play Sunday:
“I am not sure. There is still a lot more to it than me just feeling good. I have to go through doctors, team athletic trainers and coaches. It is more than just me saying I feel great.”
On also having G Wyatt Teller and TE Austin Hooper back and how that can help the run game:
“I am excited. We have been banged up these last couple weeks. I am excited to have everybody back who we had the first couple games when I was here. Excited to have the team back together, and hopefully, we can get back on track and start winning some football games.”
On if he will play with a knee brace if able to play on Sunday:
“I am not sure. I have not gotten that far. I am still here on Wednesday. I practiced with it today. Who knows? I might take it off today or I might not. I just take it day by day. If I have to wear it, I will go out there and I will wear it and play.”
On if seeing Beckham sustain a season-ending knee injury made him more grateful that his own knee injury was not as serious:
“Like I said earlier, I am happy and I am grateful I am not having a season-ending injury, but it is what it is. I am here, and I am ready to play.”
On if he was concerned that his injury could be more serious when it occurred:
“When it first happened, I was not sure exactly what happened. I know what it did feel like the first time I hurt my knee [at Georgia] so I knew it was not that severe. I was able to walk off the field, and I did not really feel anything. I never really had pain at all in my knee – a little loose, but other than that, it has always felt good, and that gave me confidence from the beginning that I knew I would be able to come back and play to be 100 percent healthy, which I think has come along well.”
On the Browns’ potential to reach the postseason with a 5-3 record at midseason:
“I think we are at a good point. I think we are what we are. We are a 5-3 team. Nothing we can do about it now except learn from the mistakes we made from the past and just continue to get better. We have other things still ahead of us and have everything still available for us. All we can do is get better. We had a good bye week, a good couple of days the last couple of days. I think we are all excited to go out there and get that bad taste out of our mouth. The bye week kind of prolonged this. I think we are ready to get out and grind on the field.”
On if he keeps in touch with Texans RB Duke Johnson Jr.:
“We talk every now and then – not as much as I would like.”
On if Johnson will come into the game with a lot to prove after starting his career in Cleveland:
“Oh, most definitely. I think he will definitely have something to prove, and I also think (Texans TE) Pharaoh Brown will, too. It will be exciting to watch and compete against those guys from across the field.”
On if he looks for players like Texans DT J.J. Watt to prior to the snap to see where they are lined up as a RB:
“I personally do not.”
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