HOUSTON — The NFL rumor mill spun into overdrive on Sunday, when NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport dropped a bombshell: four-time Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb is expected to sign a one-year deal with the Houston Texans, pending a physical. Social media erupted, with fans, analysts, and players lighting up X to weigh in on the former Cleveland Browns star’s potential move to H-Town. The reactions range from heartbreak in Cleveland to hype in Houston, with a dash of skepticism about Chubb’s injury-riddled recent seasons.
Browns fans are gutted. @Rob_Shenanigans posted, “Sad day in Cleveland. Nick Chubb is signing with the Texans 😢 Thanks a lot, Haslam,” blaming owner Jimmy Haslam for letting the franchise icon walk.
@grant_puskar_ echoed the sentiment, writing, “Never wanted it to end this way. Thank you for being one of the best Cleveland Browns of all time, 24 ❤️,” alongside a Chubb highlight clip.
@BIG_RICH_X vented frustration over Cleveland’s trade of first-round picks for Deshaun Watson, now compounded by losing Chubb: “THE BROWNS SOLD THEIR SOUL.”
Cleveland’s draft picks, Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson, signal a youth movement, making Chubb’s exit sting even more, per @923TheFan.
Texans fans, meanwhile, are buzzing. @BetMGM shared a 2019 Chubb touchdown clip, hyping the potential “nasty duo” with Joe Mixon, who racked up 1,016 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2024. One X user gushed, “Chubb and Mixon is gonna be 🔥 for CJ Stroud!” The Texans’ backfield, including Dameon Pierce and rookie Woody Marks, could become a juggernaut, though some question Chubb’s fit. His 2024 season yielded a career-low 3.3 yards per carry (332 yards, 3 TDs in 8 games) after a 2023 knee injury and a broken foot.
Skeptics abound. Chubb, turning 30 in December, faces doubts about regaining his 2019-22 form (four straight 1,000-yard seasons). Yet, his Instagram post—“They’ve already wrote my ending when I’m just getting started”—has supporters rooting for a comeback. Houston’s incentive-laden deal, per The Athletic, shows Chubb’s betting on himself. Will he and Mixon form a dynamic duo, or is this a risky gamble? X is divided, but the hype is undeniable.
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