With the 2025 NFL Training Camp period in full-swing, Houston Texans' fans were able to get a first look at newly-signed running back Nick Chubb last week. And with a few practices down, the veteran rusher gave some insight on how he has felt so far this offseason.
When asked about how he feels throughout training camp, Chubb told reporters on Monday that he is feeling good while showing off his excitement to be back on the field.
"I feel good, and it's been great to come out here and play some more football," Chubb said. "It's been a while for me, but I love it out here and it's been great getting back."
After a rough final season with the Cleveland Browns, the 29-year-old veteran signed a one year, $2.5 million deal with the Texans back in June. With the addition of Chubb in the franchise's backfield, Houston was set to begin the season with two-headed running back room alongside Joe Mixon. However, NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported last week that Mixon may miss an extended amount of time due to a foot injury, which puts Chubb in a prime spot to once again become a lead back.
In addition to feeling good, Chubb also told reporters that he continues to work on his explosiveness throughout training camp to help get in better shape.
"It's going good," Chubb stated. "It's hard to get a first [down] when the defense is playing so good. But other than that, every time I try to get a quick 10-yard burst after the play is done, just to help get in better shape."
Last year, the former four-time Pro Bowler finished the season with just 332 rushing yards on 102 carries, which was well below his typical average per carry. However, Chubb was returning from a serious injury he sustain at the beginning of the 2023 NFL season, which played a huge factor in limited snaps last season. Depending on the status of Mixon come week one, Chubb may need to step into a key role for the Texans' run game.
Texans' HC DeMeco Ryans Send Stern Message Regarding Joe Mixon's Injury
After news broke last week regarding running back Joe Mixon's injury, Houston Texans' head coach DeMeco Ryans offered some encouragement towards his recover process to kick off the week.
When asked about the reports on Monday, Ryans claimed that "nothing's changed with Joe" and that the star running back is continuing to train in the background.
“Nothing’s changed with Joe," Ryans stated. "Joe is still training in the background. I know we get reports about Joe, but nothing's changed, he's still working. Whenever it's time for Joe to be back, he'll be back. A lot of people want to report things about guys with injuries, but my thing is, are you really concerned about our guys, or just trying to get something out there?”
This comes after NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported on Saturday that Mixon will be out for an extended period of time due to an ankle injury. According to ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime, Mixon injured his ankle over the offseason, which landed him on the non-football injury list before the start of training camp.
Ryans closed the question with another strong remark, stating that he cares about what his players are doing throughout the recovery process.
"We want people here who truly care about our guys," Ryans said. "I care about our guys and what they're doing throughout their process and it'll continue to be that way."
As a former 10-year veteran, Ryans has experience in regards to players dealing with injuries. And while Ryans did not offer a recovery timetable, the third-year head coach made it clear this week that he is obviously more concerned about his star running back fully recovering from the injury.
