Nick Chubb has always carried all the traits of a perfect teammate.
He's always been a hard worker in practice and never takes any short cuts when it comes to his game preparation. He's always been one of the most reliable guys on the field and has made immense contributions in several Browns wins this season. He's mostly quiet, too, and chooses to let his dominance on game days speak for who he is.
All of those traits are why the Browns have warmly embraced Chubb since he was drafted in 2018. Now, they've given him a prestigious award to show for it.
The Browns announced Tuesday that Chubb was selected by his teammates as the team's 2020 Ed Block Courage Award recipient. The award is given annually to a member of each of the 32 NFL teams who exemplifies the qualities of Ed Block, the former head athletic trainer of the Baltimore Colts, based on courage, compassion, commitment and community.
"It definitely means a lot for me," Chubb said. "The team sees the work that I put in and see how I work every day. I'm glad they appreciated me and selected me for the award."
Teammates and coaches have constantly praised Chubb for his work ethic and unshakeable focus for the betterment of the team. There's several moments to choose from this season to showcase it — such as when he stepped out of bounds rather than score a touchdown late in the Browns' Week 11 matchup versus the Eagles to ensure the Browns could maintain possession and run out the clock.
When those moments happen, he never seeks credit or approval. That's why coach Kevin Stefanksi knew immediately he'd enjoy coaching Chubb when he was hired in January.
Chubb, who was also nominated for the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award for the second consecutive season, emulates precisely what Stefanski wants in all his players: put the team first, and strive to get better every day.
"I thought those two distinctions are great for Nick," Stefanski said. "The great thing about the Ed Block Courage Award is that it's voted on by teammates. That just tells you what kind of teammate Nick is and how they feel about him.
"I think you know how I feel about him — he's the ultimate team player."
Chubb's season was already memorable because of what he's done on the field despite missing four games due to a knee injury suffered in Week 4. Before his injury, he was on pace to be among the league's rushing leaders. Now, four games into his return, Chubb's name is still listed at the top of many rushing categories.
He's fifth in the league with 799 rushing yards, tied for 10th with seven rushing touchdowns and first with 11 rushes of 20 or more yards. His injury never appeared to slow him down, and the Browns have won all four games since he returned.
"We have to keep that momentum rolling," Chubb said. "We have to do what we've been doing, which has just been working every day and every week."
Chubb's work, however, is far from finished. The 9-3 Browns are currently in position for a playoff spot largely due to their No. 2-ranked rushing attack, which has been spearheaded by Chubb and rushing teammates Kareem Hunt. The duo has combined for 1,893 yards and has been the Browns' greatest asset in reaching their best record in a season since 2007.
But there's more success to be had, and Chubb is determined to help the Browns reach it.
His teammates are, too. That's why they selected him for an award all about perseverance and commitment, and they know Chubb won't be slowing down anytime soon.
"We just have to keep going," he said. "We have to stay who we are and keep working."
