In Week 2 of the 2023 season, Minkah Fitzpatrick delivered a blow to Browns running back Nick Chubb that landed him on IR and ended his season. As Chubb neared the goalline, Pittsburgh Steelers safety, Minkah Fitzpatrick, chopped him down by the legs.
Minkah was quickly labeled as a dirty player by many football fans, but the All-Pro safety said he didn't intend for Chubb to go down the way he did. Chubb, a four-time Pro Bowl running back, saw his left knee buckle inside out on impact. He underwent surgery on September 29 to repair his MCL and meniscus with a subsequent surgery to repair his ACL.
We are more than eight months removed from Chubb's surgery and the start of his rehab, and the Browns running back is speaking out.
Recently, Chubb spoke to the media when he was asked about the hit from Fitzpatrick that ended his season. here's what he had to say, per Eric Edholm of NFL.com.
"I don't think it was a dirty hit at all.I'm not blaming (Fitzpatrick). It's part of the game."
- Nick Chubb via NFL.com
Chubb expressed no blame or bitterness toward Fitzpatrick for the hit on his knee. This didn't stop Minkah from hearing about his 'dirty' hit early in the season.
Fitzpatrick ran into a string of bad luck of his own when it came to his health. Eight snaps into the Steelers' Week 8 contest against the Jaguars, Fitzpatrick fell to the turf with a non-contact hamstring injury. This ailment would sideline him for the following four weeks.
On his third game back from the injury in Week 15, Fitzpatrick suffered friendly fire from former Steelers teammate Patrick Peterson who collided with his knee. He would miss the rest of the regular season before suiting up in the playoffs.
Some would call this injury to Minkah's knee sweet justice for what he did to Nick Chubb early in the season, but most of us understand that injuries are part of the game, and there was no malicious intent with the hit that forced Chubb out of action.
It doesn't matter that Chubb is the starting running back on the Cleveland Browns. Nobody wants to see a player suffer a gruesome injury. Chubb insists that he likes where he is and that he's where he needs to be when it comes to his recovery. For the sake of the league, let's hope that he can make a full recovery and return to the football field.
