BEREA, Ohio – Cleveland Browns rookie running back Nick Chubb is a no-frills kind of player.
There are no gold chains around his neck or fancy new style of helmet for the first-year rusher out of the University of Georgia, which led to his picking up the nickname, “Old School,” from his teammates, namely veteran rusher Duke Johnson Jr.
And that is quite alright with Chubb.
“Yeah, that’s fine with me,” Chubb said.
Chubb is fine with the label because, despite being a rookie trying to make his way in the National Football League, he is comfortable being himself.
“Oh no, none of that,” Chubb said of the frills. “I am who I am. I really don’t wear chains or anything flashy. I put my pads on and my gear and whatever I need and just go to work.”
While Johnson Jr. gave Chubb the “Old School” label, fellow running back Carlos Hyde had a different way of describing his young teammate.
When asked about Chubb, Hyde said he was a beast on the football field.
“Makes me feel good for sure,” Chubb said. “It’s Carlos who’s played at a high level at Ohio State and San Fran, so that gives me a great feeling that somebody of that [caliber] said some good things about me.
“He’s a beast too. He runs hard, catches the ball real well too. He’s a guy I look forward to learning from and looking up to the entire season as long as we’re here together.”
Despite sharing carries with Sony Michel, who was selected by the New England Patriots late in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, the 5-foot-10, 225-pound Chubb rushed for 4,769 yards and 44 touchdowns on 758 carries for the Bulldogs.
A native of Cedartown, Georgia, Chubb eclipsed the 200-carry and 1,000-yard marks in three of his four seasons “between the hedges,” and helped the Bulldogs reach the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship Game despite having a freshman quarterback at the helm of the offense.
Chubb began the 1,000-yard rushing campaigns with a career-high 1,547 yards and 14 touchdowns on 219 carries during his freshman season.
After being limited to just 747 yards on 92 carries in his sophomore year, Chubb punctuated his collegiate career with back-to-back 1,100-yard seasons.
Chubb rushed for 1,130 yards and eight scores on 224 carries in 2016, and finished his career with 1,345 yards and 15 touchdowns on 223 attempts last fall.
In addition to his rushing statistics, Chubb accounted for 359 yards and four touchdowns on 31 career receptions for the Bulldogs.
And should it be necessary to help the Browns win games, it is that kind of success that “Old School” plans on having this fall.
“I’m there to play my role and take advantage of every opportunity that comes my way,” Chubb said. “I’m not really trying to be that guy. I can be whatever I need to be for right now.”
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