Denver Broncos outside linebacker Bradley Chubb tore an ACL during a 26-24 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 4, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Monday.
Chubb (6-4, 275 pounds) was selected by Denver with the fifth overall pick in last year’s draft after an impressive college career at North Carolina State. He was named a Pro Bowl alternate as a rookie after totaling 60 tackles and 12 sacks in 2018.
Chubb left Sunday’s game with cramps and what the team described as a knee injury before later returning to the contest. That knee injury turned out to be a season-ending ACL tear.
Chubb totaled four tackles and one sack against Jacksonville. At least one of those tackles occurred after the injury.
Broncos coach Vic Fangio confirmed during his Monday press conference that Chubb suffered a partially torn ACL.
“He hurt his knee at some point in the game but he felt good enough to come back in,” Fangio said. “And, actually, he played that last series pretty damn well — had some really good pass rushes, caused that fumble . . . so, you know, he was surprised I think as anybody this morning when he woke up feeling the way he did.”
Chubb will have surgery and the team will place him on injured reserve, which will create an open spot on the 53-man roster.
The Broncos’ top remaining outside linebackers are Von Miller, fifth-round draft choice Justin Hollins and undrafted rookie Malik Reed, who recorded his first career sack against the Jaguars. Denver also has undrafted rookie Ahmad Gooden on the practice squad.
