Hunt, Chubb focusing forward

Hold those cell phone lights high above your heads and wave your arm, Browns fans, because one of the best running back tandems in the NFL and the five guys that block for them are eager to do an encore in 2021.

Nick Chubb rushed for 1,067 yards in 2020 — seventh-best in the league despite missing four games with a knee injury. Kareem Hunt ranked 16th with 841 rushing yards. Both are under contract for 2021, as are left tackle Jedrick Wills, left guard Joel Bitonio, center JC Tretter, right guard Wyatt Teller and right tackle Jack Conklin.

“Those guys did a tremendous job all year of creating lanes for Nick and me and just battling, even when guys had to step in and play a big role,” Hunt said Jan. 19 on Zoom. “I never saw those guys quit. They just keep fighting.”

Chubb and Hunt statistically did not produce the most yards among running back pairs in the NFL. Derrick Henry of the Titans rushed for 2,027 yards alone, so he and any Titan together (quarterback Ryan Tannehill was second with 266 rushing yards) eclipsed what Chubb and Hunt did. Dalvin Cook (1,557 yards) and Alexander Mattison (433 yards) of the Vikings, combined for 1,990 yards — 82 more yards than Chubb and Hunt put together.

The difference is opposing defenses could not relax when Hunt entered the game. He had more rushing yards than any socalled second back in the NFL. Only J.K. Dobbins of the Ravens was close with 805 yards on 134 carries, but he caught only 18 passes for 120 yards and no touchdowns. Hunt caught 38 passes for 304 yards and a team-most five receiving touchdowns.

“They’re two No. 1 backs in this league,” Tretter said. “I think Nick is arguably the best runner in football with what he’s able to do with the ball in his hands — the physicality and the speed he can run with.

“Kareem is so versatile as a football player, being able to run, being able to be utilized out of the backfield and utilized in the slot as receiver. They just let us do so much. It’s nice having no real dropoff when one of them has to go out because you have another No. 1 back coming in.”

Chubb and Hunt were together in the backfield infrequently in 2020 while the Browns worked their way through an 11-5 season and into the playoffs for the first time in 18 years. Both would like plays to be added to the offense so they can be on the field at the same time more often next season. Each is unselfish and a willing blocker for the other.

“I learned that there is a way for us both to be on the field at the same time and there’s a way for both of us to have a good year at the same time,” Chubb said. “That’s the biggest thing I took from it all is that we can still be us, share the ball and have success with it. The same thing for years to come. Just for us to keep having fun and playing and winning games together.”

Hunt said he has no plans to suggest how Coach Kevin Stefanski should call plays, but he echoed Chubb’s thoughts on how productive he and Chubb could be.

“I just do what I am told,” Hunt said. “Whatever he calls and whatever he puts in the game plan, it’s in the game plan.

“Honestly, it would mean a lot (to be in the backfield together). Chubb is a heck of a back, and so am I. I feel like it would definitely work. There are a lot of things we both can do.”

Hunt is under contract through 2022. Chubb is in line for a huge contract extension this offseason as he heads into the final year of his rookie deal at roughly $1.5 million. He rushed for 996 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie in 2018, 1,494 yards and eight touchdowns in 2019 and 12 touchdowns to go with his 1,067 rushing yards this season.

Chubb would be a free agent in March 2022 without a new contract before then.