Four-time Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb announced his retirement from professional football on Friday, stepping away at age 30 following an eight-year career spent primarily with the Cleveland Browns and concluding with the Houston Texans.
Nick Chubb is calling time on an NFL tenure defined by elite production, fierce work ethic, and extraordinary resilience in the face of devastating knee injuries. The running back shared his retirement decision in an emotional note posted to Instagram on Friday night, acknowledging that the physical toll had finally caught up with him after eight seasons in the league.
Drafted by Cleveland in 2018
Selected by the Cleveland Browns with the No. 35 overall pick in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft out of the University of Georgia, Chubb made an immediate impact as a rookie. He amassed 996 rushing yards and eight touchdowns in his debut campaign, setting the stage for a dominant four-year run of consistency.
Between 2019 and 2022, Chubb rattled off four consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons, earning four straight Pro Bowl nods along the way. His peak statistical season came in 2022, when he rushed for a career-high 1,525 yards and 12 touchdowns, averaging 5.0 yards per carry and capturing second-team All-Pro honors.
“Twelve-year-old me could never imagine this day, and 30-year-old me is wondering where all the time has gone. I’ve known for some time now, but I’m finally ready to share that I’m done playing football. I wanted to end my career on a healthy note, along with a winning season, and I was able to do that.”
Nick Chubb, via Yahoo Sports
Overcoming Severe Knee Injuries
Chubb’s path was repeatedly tested by lower-body trauma. Before reaching the NFL, he suffered a severe multiligament knee tear and dislocation while playing for the Georgia Bulldogs in October 2015. He successfully rehabbed that injury to resurrect his collegiate career and become a high draft pick.
In September 2023, during Week 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Chubb suffered another catastrophic left knee injury, tearing his MCL, meniscus, and medial capsule, which required multiple surgeries including an ACL repair. However, a foot fracture later that season against the Kansas City Chiefs interrupted his momentum once again.
“Dealing with injuries was something else that wasn’t part of the plan. 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.”
Nick Chubb, via NFL.com
Final Season in Houston and Cleveland Legacy
After becoming an unrestricted free agent following his final year in Cleveland—where he ran for 332 yards and three touchdowns across eight games in 2024—Chubb signed a one-year deal with the Houston Texans for the 2025 season. Serving alongside rookie Woody Marks while running back Joe Mixon recovered from a foot injury, Chubb appeared in 15 games, recording 506 rushing yards and three touchdowns as the Texans finished 12-5 and reached the divisional round of the AFC playoffs.
Chubb finishes his career with 7,349 rushing yards, 1,109 receiving yards, and 59 total touchdowns across 100 regular-season games. In franchise history, he departs ranking third on the Browns’ all-time rushing list with 6,843 yards, trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famers Jim Brown and Leroy Kelly.
“In the NFL, I wanted to lead the league in rushing, win MVP and win a Super Bowl for the city of Cleveland. I wasn’t able to accomplish any of those things. … What’s most frustrating but also gives me peace is that I know for a fact I gave it my all.”
Nick Chubb, via CBS Sports
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