CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – If you were to define what a Cleveland Browns player should embody, Nick Chubb’s picture would be atop the page.
Football talent aside, there was no way the Browns could let Chubb just walk out the door, and they didn't.
Chubb put pen to paper on his three-year, $36.6 million contract extension Monday morning.
“It means everything. I love it here in Cleveland. I love this team. I love the coaches. I love the position I'm in,” Chubb said prior to Monday's practice. “I can't ask for anything better than where I'm at. Cleveland's where I want to be, and I'm happy to be able to get that done so I can be here for even more years.”
The two-time Pro Bowler agreed to the new deal Saturday keeping him with the Browns through the 2024 season and the contract will allow Chubb to become a free agent when he is 29.
“It worked out perfect for me being in training camp. I can get put it behind me and focus on going forward,” Chubb said.
Chubb's unselfish, team-first business-like approach has endeared him to teammates, coaches and staff. It is why it was important to executive vice president of football operations and general manager Andrew Berry to get him extended before his rookie deal expired after this season.
“From the day Nick Chubb first entered our facilities, it was clear to see that he would become a pillar of our organization,” Berry said. “Although Nick may be a man of few words whose strong-and-silent demeanor can be easy to overlook from the outside, his actions over the past three years have reverberated within the walls of our building. Nick’s on-field contributions stand for themselves. He is a dynamic runner who is on pace to be one of the most accomplished players to ever don an orange helmet at the position. But it’s his work ethic, intelligence, toughness and selflessness that makes us proud that he represents our city.
“Quite plainly, Nick embodies the soul of our team and we are thrilled that he will be a Cleveland Brown for years to come.”
The $12.3 million average annual value for Chubb ranks sixth, right behind Derrick Henry of the Titans, among running backs league-wide.
It could be argued that Chubb could've held out for more money.
“I’m happy with how things went. It looks good to me,” Chubb said. “What’s more important to me is just going out there and getting that done and focusing on my team and focusing on the season.”
Chubb has totaled 3,557 yards and 28 touchdowns on the ground while adding 72 catches for 577 yards and a pair of scores through the air since being selected in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
"Nick Chubb is a tremendous football player, but an even better person," head coach Kevin Stefanski said. "He is one of the best examples of a team player that I've been around. Nick always puts the team before himself, and that's why you love seeing a guy like him get rewarded."
Chubb doesn't say much, he doesn't even celebrate when he scores touchdowns, but when he does speak, it carries tremendous weight in the locker room.
It didn't take linebacker Anthony Walker, who signed as a free agent this offseason from Indianapolis, long to see first hand why Chubb is revered.
“That's pretty awesome when you see guys put the work in and get rewarded for it,” Walker said.
“He's a head-down-and-go-straight-to-work guy every day. He doesn't say much. But his actions, the way he works every day, that speaks volumes.”
Chubb has averaged more yards per carry (5.23) than any other running back (minimum of 300 carries) and he leads the NFL with 34 rushes of 20-plus yards.
Chubb ranks second with 17 100-yard rushing games, is tied for second with 101 rushes of 10-plus yards, tied for second with seven rushes of 50-plus yards, is third in rushing yards and sixth in rushing touchdowns over the last three years.
Chubb is the first Browns player since Jim Brown to post two 1,000-yard seasons in his first three NFL seasons. With 28 career touchdowns, Chubb already ranks seventh in Browns' history. His 3,557 rushing yards rank sixth.
“It feels good because I know I'm doing good for my team, making explosive plays, getting momentum going, that's just what I pride myself on, being a strong runner,” Chubb said. “That's just how I run the ball.”
Chubb is the first domino to fall on the contract extension front.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield, cornerback Denzel Ward, right guard Wyatt Teller and safety Ronnie Harrison are among the players eligible for extended deals.
Mayfield, Ward and Chubb are all proceeds from the 2018 NFL Draft and the trio have been instrumental in the franchise’s resurrection and Berry is tasked with keeping the band together.
“Me personally, I want to stay together because we were drafted together and I love playing with Baker,” Chubb said. “I love playing with this whole team. If it were up to me we would keep guys forever, but you know that’s not possible because of business. But, yeah, I like how things are right now.”