As the Cleveland Browns prepare for the 2026 season, Nick Chubb says letters and notes from fans helped him get through the mental side of injury rehab—while he still keeps those messages to this day.
When Cleveland Browns fans see Nick Chubb back around the building, it’s not just because the running back is preparing for the 2026 season during minicamp. Chubb has another reason to smile, one that dates back to some of the hardest months of his career.
He’s been spending time with the Browns’ supporters as they rally around the team again, and in recent comments, Chubb returned to the part of recovery people don’t always talk about: the mental weight of being sidelined.
Chubb said the city’s support carried him. “The mental aspect of it, I mean, just the support of the city of Cleveland,” Chubb said, via Camryn Justice. “I mean I have closets full of notes and letters from schools. people from me. fans from all across the world. you know. I still have it all packed up. and I mean. just tremendous support and love from everyone. and obviously the medical staff. obviously the Browns. my teammates. my family. you know. all just support from everywhere. that gives you an edge to want to go and not only get back for yourself. but for everyone who supported me.”.
Chubb’s gratitude has a tangible symbol, too. Justice shared that Chubb still has the letters and notes he received after his knee injury. posting: “Former #Browns RB Nick Chubb said letters and notes from fans that he received after his knee injury helped him through the mental aspect of his rehab. He still has those letters. pic.twitter.com/FFZqVW7qfW” on June 18, 2026.
The timing matters. The Browns are in the middle of minicamp, looking ahead to 2026, and Chubb—who at the moment is not with a team—has been reflecting on how that fan connection shaped the way he got through rehab.
Chubb spent the first seven seasons of his career with Cleveland, recording over 1,000 rushing yards in four of those seasons. But his run with the franchise has also been repeatedly interrupted by major injuries: an MCL sprain in 2020, a grueling ACL injury in 2023, and a broken foot in 2024.
It’s a résumé that shows both the production and the setbacks. Most recently, Chubb last played with the Houston Texans in 2025, where he appeared in 15 games—that was the most he’d played since 2022.
Still unsigned heading into the new season, Chubb’s football future remains open. As the Browns move through minicamp for the 2026 campaign. what’s already clear is the impact the city had during his hardest rehabilitation—something he keeps. in boxes and letters. and now talks about like it’s part of the process of coming back.
The thread is simple and powerful: for Chubb, the rehab wasn’t only medical. It was also powered by what he says he kept—notes, letters, and love—from the Browns’ fanbase and from people across the world who stayed close while he was trying to return.
Nick Chubb Cleveland Browns minicamp 2026 injury rehab ACL injury MCL sprain broken foot fans letters