CLEVELAND (AP) — With snow falling, Nick Chubb plowed forward.
On a play that looked eerily similar to the one in Pittsburgh last year that threatened to end his career, Chubb kept his legs moving and pushed his way into the end zone for a touchdown he and his teammates won’t forget.
Chubb ran for a 2-yard touchdown with 57 seconds left, and the Cleveland Browns stunned one of their division rivals on Thursday night, beating the Steelers 24-19 and ending their five-game winning streak.
Chubb’s score came in his first game against the AFC North-leading Steelers (8-3) since the running back sustained a season-ending left knee injury in Week 2 last September in a Monday night game against the Steelers.
Chubb, who had injured the same knee while playing at Georiga in 2015, had to endure grueling rehab sessions to make it back on the field, and the sight of him scoring against the dreaded Steelers was almost poetic.
“It meant a lot to me. I know it means a lot to him,” said Myles Garrett, who had three sacks. “He won’t say it, but it’s true. I’ll say it because this time last year we were sick to our stomachs. There was just so much in the air, so for him to come back and be pivotal in this game just speaks to the kind of resilience and the man that he is.
“We absolutely love him.”
Chubb also scored on a 2-yard run in the second quarter.
The Browns (3-8) had blown a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter and were down 19-18 before getting the ball back with 3:22 remaining after Pittsburgh punter Corliss Waitman shanked a 16-yarder.
With snow piling up and covering the yard lines on the field, Cleveland’s Jameis Winston completed a third-down pass to Jerry Jeudy to the Pittsburgh 9. Two plays later, Chubb barreled into the end zone.
Chubb did not speak to the media afterward, but his teammates were overjoyed and couldn’t wait to share his story.
“I’m his No. 1 fan when he’s out there,” Browns running back Jerome Ford said. “If I could, I would start the ‘Chubb’ chant every time he steps on the field.”
The Steelers had one last chance, but Russell Wilson’s Hail Mary on the final play was knocked down by Browns safety Grant Delpit in the end zone, touching off a wild celebration at Huntington Bank Field.
Amid a disastrous season, beating the Steelers eased pressure on coach Kevin Stefanski and gave Cleveland fans something to savor.
“Our guys love playing under the lights,” Stefanski said. “They love playing in front of these fans. Add the snow element, it was pretty cool.”
