Even when Nick Chubb was missing time with injuries in back-to-back seasons, the Dawg Pound never forgot their 4x Pro Bowler. They sent him letters while he was in the hospital, and Chubb still has them all safely stored away. That alone tells you his heart lies with the Cleveland Browns, and Chubb made it clear this week.

Chubb went back to Cleveland to attend the University Hospital’s SportsLand event at the Huntington Bank Field. In an interview, when he was asked directly about a possible return, he didn’t dodge.

“Obviously, Cleveland is a special place to me. Being drafted here by Jim Brown, and then my time here was truly amazing. You never know what can happen,” he said, while leaving the door open for a reunion.

A torn MCL and a damaged ACL in 2023, followed by a broken foot in 2024 – injuries hadn’t been kind to Nick Chubb, and became one of the biggest reasons the Browns let him go. The Houston Texans were supposed to be his redemption arc. He signed a one-year, $2.5 million deal last season, hungry to prove that the durability concerns were left behind.

Week 1 was modest with only 60 yards and no scores. Week 2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers saw him run for a 25-yard touchdown. Chubb put up fireworks again in Weeks 5 & 6, but his usage was already in decline. Until Week 9, Chubb had logged 91 carries, but the Titans opted to give rookie Woody Marks a bigger chance, and Chubb finished the season with only 31 more from Weeks 10 through 18. When Houston’s season ended, so did Chubb’s stint.

Back in March this offseason, Chubb posted an Instagram reel showing his previous workouts at the Browns’ training facility. And despite a dip in Chubb’s production, a reunion still makes sense.

Cleveland’s backfield is young, injured, and thin. Second-year RB Quinshon Judkins is likely to be the starter, but he’s coming off a fractured fibula and dislocated ankle that ended his 2025 campaign in Week 16. Dylan Sampson and Raheim Sanders are also entering Year 2, and the Browns need a veteran.

Chubb is still third all-time on the Browns’ career rushing list with 6,843 yards. He wouldn’t carry everything by himself, but he’d be the veteran depth behind a retooled line that has already lost guard Joel Bitonio to retirement. Meanwhile, Chubb’s return would also carry emotional depth for Cleveland.

When his move to Houston was confirmed, the Browns locker room was devastated, even though they were happy Chubb got a fresh start. At the time, Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot had said he’d be back, even if it was temporary.

“There’s definitely a chance the Browns will work something out with Nick Chubb down the road, even if he signs just to retire as a Brown,” Cabot noted. “I absolutely think this should and will happen. Based on Chubb’s heartfelt thank you to Browns fans, I truly believe he’ll be open to it and will want it as much as the Browns and their fans do.”

“He deserves a chance to play, and now he has that in Houston,” Cabot added. “But it can’t end this way. He needs to retire as a Brown when he’s ready, and then go into their Ring of Honor.”

Nick Chubb kept every letter Browns fans wrote to him through two surgeries. He flew back to Cleveland this week, stood on stage, and refused to close the Browns chapter. Chubb may have played for a different team in 2025, but his heart never really left the Browns. Now it’s up to his team to bring him back.