Nicholas Jamaal Chubb (born December 27, 1995) is an American former professional football running back who played for eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL), mainly for the Cleveland Browns. He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs and was selected by the Browns in the second round of the 2018 NFL draft. Across his seven seasons in Cleveland, Chubb was a four-time Pro Bowler and a second-team All-Pro in 2022. He spent his final season with the Houston Texans.
Chubb attended Cedartown High School in Cedartown, Georgia, where he was a two-sport star for the Bulldogs' football and track teams. In football, Chubb led the state of Georgia in rushing yards with 2,721 with 38 touchdowns as a junior. As a senior, he had 2,690 yards and 41 touchdowns. Chubb finished his high school career with 6,983 rushing yards and 102 rushing touchdowns.
As a standout track & field athlete in high school, Chubb competed in events ranging from the 100-meters to the shot put. At the 2013 4A Sectionals, he took fifth place in the long jump event with a leap of 6.85 meters (22 ft, 4 in). At the 2014 4A Sectionals, Chubb won the shot put event, recording a top-throw of 17.05 meters (55 ft, 8in), and earned second-place finishes in both the 100-meter dash, with a time of 10.69 seconds (setting a school record) and the 200-meter dash, with a time of 21.83 seconds. He captured the state title in the shot put at the 2014 Class AAAA with a throw of 16.77 meters (55 ft).
Chubb was ranked by both Rivals.com and Scout.com as a four-star recruit. In June 2013, he committed to the University of Georgia to play college football under head coach Mark Richt.
Chubb entered his true freshman season as a backup to starter and future NFL running back Todd Gurley. After Gurley was suspended, Chubb took over as the starter. In his first start, Chubb rushed for 143 yards on 38 carries at Missouri. The next game, he rushed for 202 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries against Arkansas. In the 2014 Belk Bowl against Louisville, Chubb broke the bowl game record with 266 rushing yards and was named the Belk Bowl MVP. He finished his freshman season with 1,547 rushing yards, good for second in the SEC, despite starting just eight games.
At the Alabama game on October 3, 2015, Chubb tied Herschel Walker's record of 13 consecutive 100-yard games. However, on October 10, 2015, Chubb suffered a "grotesque" knee injury against Tennessee, preventing him from surpassing the record. Due to that injury, he missed the rest of the 2015 season but returned for the 2016 season under new head coach Kirby Smart.
Chubb returned in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game, rushing for 222 yards and two touchdowns in a victory over #22 North Carolina. After two modest performances in narrow victories, Chubb sprained his ankle against Ole Miss and was used sparingly over the next five games. Georgia went 1–4 in that period, the sole victory coming over South Carolina behind Chubb's 121 yards and two touchdowns (along with Sony Michel's 133 yards). Chubb split carries with Michel for the remaining four games of the regular season, but had 100+ yards in two, and ended the season with 142 yards and a game-sealing touchdown over TCU in the Liberty Bowl. He also passed former backfield partner Todd Gurley for second all-time in school rush yards. Chubb also passed Kevin Faulk and Darren McFadden to become second in all-time SEC rushing yards, trailing only fellow bulldog Herschel Walker—who was voted the greatest college football player of all time by FBS coaches—in this category.
It was thought that Chubb would enter the 2017 NFL draft, but he decided to return in 2017 for his senior season with the Bulldogs. As a senior, Chubb split carries with Sony Michel, but still managed to amass 1,345 yards on 223 carries (6.0 average) with 15 touchdowns. The two led Georgia to a 12–1 record and an SEC title. In a double-overtime victory over Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl during the College Football Playoff semifinal, Chubb had 145 yards on 14 carries, including a 50-yard touchdown just after halftime and a game-tying two-yard run in the last minute of regulation. (Previously that season, Chubb eclipsed 125 yards and two touchdowns three other times: against Samford, Vanderbilt, and Kentucky.) In the national championship game, Alabama's suffocating defense held Chubb to just 25 yards on 18 carries during the 26–23 overtime loss.
Chubb was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the second round (35th overall) of the 2018 NFL draft. He was the fourth running back to be selected that year. On June 4, 2018, Chubb signed a four-year rookie deal worth about $7.4 million. The contract included a $3.4 million signing bonus.
Playing behind veterans Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson, Chubb made his NFL debut during the season-opening 21–21 tie with the Pittsburgh Steelers where he had three carries for 21 yards. With just four carries for 20 yards in the next two games, Chubb made the most of his three carries in a Week 4 45–42 overtime loss to the Oakland Raiders with touchdowns of 63 and 41 yards. Chubb was the fourth player in NFL history to break 100 rushing yards on three or fewer carries.
On October 19, after the Browns traded Carlos Hyde to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Chubb was named the full-time starter. On November 11, Chubb broke off a 92-yard rushing touchdown to help the Browns secure a 28–16 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. Chubb's run was the longest rushing touchdown in Browns franchise history. He finished the game with 20 carries for 176 yards and the aforementioned touchdown to go along with three receptions for 33 yards and the first receiving touchdown of his career.
Chubb finished his rookie year with 192 carries for 996 yards and eight touchdowns (third among rookies in both categories to Saquon Barkley and Phillip Lindsay) to along with 20 receptions for 149 yards and two touchdowns in 16 games and nine starts.
During Week 2 against the New York Jets, Chubb rushed 18 times for 62 yards and his first rushing touchdown of the season in the 23–3 victory. Two weeks later against the Baltimore Ravens, he had for 165 rushing yards and a career high three touchdowns in the 40–25 victory. Chubb was named AFC Offensive Player Of The Week for his performance. During Week 6 against the Seattle Seahawks, he recorded 20 carries for 122 yards and two touchdowns in the 32–28 loss, moving to second in the league in rushing. Following a Week 7 bye, Chubb had 131 yards but two lost fumbles in a 27–13 loss to the New England Patriots. During Week 12 against the Miami Dolphins, he rushed 21 times for 106 yards and a touchdown and caught three passes for 58 yards in the 41–24 victory. Chubb's 92 rushing yards against the Steelers in Week 11 were enough to move him past Christian McCaffrey for the league lead. During Week 14, Chubb had his sixth 100-yard game with 106 yards (99 of them in the second half) in the 27–19 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. In the next game against the Arizona Cardinals, he finished with 127 rushing yards and a 33-yard touchdown during the 38–24 loss. Chubb earned his first Pro Bowl nomination for his 2019 season.
Chubb finished his second professional season with 298 carries for 1,494 yards and eight touchdowns to go along with 36 receptions for 278 yards in 16 games and starts. His 1,494 rushing yards were the second-highest behind Derrick Henry, who rushed for 1,540 yards. Chubb was ranked 36th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2020.
During Week 2 against the Bengals, Chubb recorded 22 carries for 124 yards and two touchdowns in the 35–30 victory on Thursday Night Football. In the next game against the Washington Football Team, Chubb finished with 108 rushing yards and two touchdowns during the 34–20 victory. The following week against the Dallas Cowboys, Chubb suffered an MCL injury. The Browns placed him on injured reserve on October 5, 2020.
Chubb was activated from injured reserve on November 14, 2020. During Week 10 against the Houston Texans, in his first game back from injury, Chubb recorded 19 carries for 126 yards and a touchdown, and sealed the win for the Browns with a 59-yard run late in the fourth quarter. In the next game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Chubb had 20 carries for 114 yards during the 22–17 victory. The following week against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he rushed 19 times for 144 yards and a touchdown in the narrow 27–25 victory.