CLEVELAND — When Browns running back Nick Chubb ran out of the tunnel Sunday afternoon during pregame player introductions, the crowd at Huntington Bank Field roared.

Later, Chubb ran into the end zone, drawing more cheers from Browns fans who adore him.

Chubb's return provided a bright spot during Cleveland's 21-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, a game in which embattled Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson suffered what is expected to be a season-ending Achilles tendon injury.

In Chubb's first game back from his second major left knee injury, the four-time Pro Bowl selection started, carried the ball 11 times for 22 yards, including a 1-yard TD, and caught one pass on three targets for 10 yards.

“I think he's the first player ever to come back from that type of knee injury twice, so it's pretty impressive,” Browns left guard Joel Bitonio said.

The Browns (1-6) did not make Chubb available for interviews after the game, but several of his teammates lauded the completion of his comeback.

“From what happened to how he performed today, it's just huge progress,” Browns tight end David Njoku said.

“I heard those 'Chubb, Chubb, Chubb' [chants], and we need more of that,” Browns quarterback Jameis Winston added.

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The 28-year-old Chubb played for the first time since his left leg bent in gruesome fashion on Sept. 18, 2023, against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He had two surgeries last year to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament, medial capsule, meniscus and medial collateral ligament. He also suffered three torn ligaments, all but the ACL, in the same knee on Oct. 10, 2015, during his sophomore season with the University of Georgia.

Chubb resuming his football career is nothing short of remarkable.

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“I was there [at Browns headquarters in Berea] a lot this offseason,” Bitonio said, “watching him and the work he puts in on a daily basis.

“What everyone says about Nick Chubb is great, and he's a better person than he is a player. He's a heck of a player, so it was good to have him back out there. I wish we would've been a little more successful in the run for him and got a win.”

In the second half against the Bengals (3-4), Chubb had just one carry and one target.

“No setbacks,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said. “Just always trying to be smart with him. Want to make sure that we don’t put him in a bad spot. He was good. He came out of this thing good, so he’ll be ready to roll.

“I think it was good for him to get tackled. [He hadn't] been tackled.”

With 56 seconds remaining in the second quarter, Chubb took a pitch to the left and rushed for a 1-yard touchdown.

“That was amazing,” Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II said. “Talk about another guy that just fights. For him to come back and look like himself out there, for him to get in the end zone today, that was amazing.”

What's next for the Chubb? Can he regain his elite form? His teammates are eager to learn the answers.

“Seemed like he was on a pitch count, and we wanted to take care of him,” Browns defensive end Myles Garrett said. “I think it's a smart thing to do. It's a long season. I want to see him continue to grow and improve from here and get more confident and comfortable taking hits and bouncing off those hits and breaking tackles. But I think he did well.”

Nearly 400 days after Chubb needed to be carted off the field in Pittsburgh, he performed in front of fans on Cleveland's lakefront again.

Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns star Nick Chubb completes comeback from knee injury vs Bengals