Browns RB Nick Chubb addresses return to practice after devastating knee injury

Browns four-time Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb returned to practice on Wednesday for the first time since suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 2 of last year.

On Thursday, Chubb was still pinching himself that he was finally back on the football field.

"It didn't feel real. It felt like a dream," Chubb told reporters. "Feel like I've been battling this for a while now, so it was great to get all that off my shoulders and finally get out there."

It remains to be seen when Chubb will return to game action, as Cleveland has a 21-day window to activate him to the 53-man roster.

It doesn't seem like he'll play in the Browns' Week 5 matchup against the Washington Commanders, but Chubb wasn't willing to commit to any timeline.

"It depends on how I feel," Chubb said. "They told me to take however long I need to. Whenever I feel great, I'll be out there."

Chubb suffered a similar knee injury during his collegiate career at Georgia, so that has helped him keep his confidence that he can return as the same player once again.

He's not alone in that feeling, either, as wide receiver Amari Cooper is counting down the seconds until he's back on the field.

"Huge emotional boost. When you have a dominant run game, that's really important in this league," Cooper said. "It'll be a huge addition to have him back in both practice and the games. Everybody around here is excited for that."

It's still up for debate whether Chubb be the same dominant player he was before his injury, but he isn't worried about proving anybody right or wrong. Instead, he's solely focused on being the best version of himself when he does finally make his much-anticipated return.

"I'm just trying to be me. I don't look at expectations," Chubb concluded. "Like I always say, I just work hard and everything happens like it's supposed to happen."