On October 10, 2015, Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb suffered a gruesome knee injury against the Tennessee Volunteers during his days as a player for the Georgia Bulldogs. A scene from “The Dark Knight Rises” film, specifically where Batman's back was broken by Bane, ultimately inspired him on his long road to recovery at the time.
“I remember I was like on top of the world, coming off a good [freshman] season, feeling myself, doing good in everything, and he said that, and I feel like he was talking to me,” Chubb said via USA Today.
“I felt like my knee was broken in every piece, too,” he added.
Another scene in the film was when Bruce Wayne found himself in Bane's prison named ‘The Pit' where he attempted to escape for several months. After countless tries, Wayne managed to finally overcome the huge wall and returned to his life as Batman, which the Browns RB was able to relate to.
“I felt like that wall was what I went through getting out of rehab,” he said. “I had to get up the wall and get free and get back to myself. All that just was so relatable to me during that time.
“I kind of used that as motivation to keep me up and keep me going because of how he came back from that. That's how I attacked my rehab and my recovery from my injury.”
Back in the day, Chubb's knee injury forced him to sit out the remainder of the 2015 season but somehow managed to come back in time for the 2016 season opener. He was able to pick up where he left off prior to his absence and eventually found his previous form on the field.
The Georgia native then exceeded the 1,000 rushing yard mark in 2016 and repeated the same feat in his final campaign back in the 2017 season. His solid four-year amateur career with the Bulldogs led him to be selected with the 35th overall pick by the Cleveland Browns in the 2018 NFL Draft.
A couple of years later, Chubb has already emerged as one of the best young running backs in the league. The Cleveland back has made two Pro Bowl appearances thus far. It is safe to say Browns fans have Batman to thank for Nick Chubb being where he is today.