Nick Chubb of Cleveland Browns suffers almost career-crippling knee injury

Nick Chubb, one of the top players for the Cleveland Browns, seriously injured his knee during Monday's 26-22 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, which may end his career as a running back.

The Cleveland Browns' heart and soul for the better part of a decade has been Nick Chubb.

Nobody in the locker room is more well-liked. No athlete on the pitch is more dedicated, AP reported.

It was heartbreaking to see the great running back being taken off in the second quarter of Monday night's 26-22 loss to Pittsburgh with his left knee torn apart and his season finished.

“It (freaking) hurts,” defensive end Myles Garrett said.

The four-time Pro Bowler, who is now 27 years old, has been one of the franchise's stalwarts in its quest to become a recurrent contender. When Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick came in low for a tackle at the end of a 5-yard run early in the second quarter and delivered a hit to Chubb's legs, his sixth season in the NFL came to an end. Chubb's knee gave way from under him.

After the play, Chubb shook his head and clutched his left leg as a teammate attempted to assist him in standing up. He turned over onto his side after removing his chinstrap.

When Chubb was a college student in Georgia, he sustained a serious dislocation and three ruptured ligaments in the same knee in 2015. Similar to his first injuries, the one on Monday night was tough to see, and ESPN declined to air replays of the incident.

Chubb stayed down for a time as his teammates gathered to pray close by. He ultimately left on a cart and was brought to a nearby hospital as a precaution, but by the time the Browns were packing up following their 20th consecutive regular-season loss in Pittsburgh, he was already on his way back to Cleveland.

Chubb's injury is expected to keep him out for the remainder of the season, but Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanki was unable to provide specifics.

“We feel, obviously, for Nick,” Stefanski said. “But I know Nick and his teammates know, and you have to move on.”

That won't be simple, especially after such a horrific injury that was made public.

LeBron James, an Ohio native and NBA superstar, and Lamar Jackson, a quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens, were among many to praise Chubb online.

James posted he was “ praying for the absolute best,” with Jackson offering a similar sentiment.

Chubb is familiar with this area.

After getting wounded against Tennessee, he missed the second half of his sophomore year but came back to surpass 1,000 yards rushing in both 2016 and 2017. In 2018, the Browns selected him in the second round.

Throughout his career, he averaged over 1,250 yards rushing every season.