


ESPN legend Dan Patrick believes the network erred in not showing a replay of the gruesome Nick Chubb injury.
The Browns running back went down with a season-ending knee injury during the Browns’ 26-22 loss to the Steelers on Monday night, and ESPN play-by-play broadcaster Joe Buck relayed that the play was so ugly that they would not be airing the replay.
Speaking on his eponymous show, Patrick, who worked at ESPN from 1989-2007, disagreed with the decision.
“You have to show it again to at least put it in context of what happened there. They decided they weren’t going to do it,” Patrick said.
“I would’ve done it. I would’ve done it once, because you’re carrying the game. You owe it to the audience. You could do a disclaimer. I might be in the minority here, but if I was running the show I would say, ‘Joe, give them a disclaimer, we’re gonna show this. Just let them know that this is a gruesome injury.’
“You show it once.”
Producer Paul Pabst made the case that ESPN should’ve shown the replay because “there might be a story here.”
“Was he hit low? Was it a cheap shot?” Pabst asked. “The people at home have to decide what happened on that play.”
“Good Morning Football” co-host Kyle Brandt said he had former NFL players tell him that Minkah Fitzpatrick’s hit on Chubb was indeed “dirty.”
After the game, the Browns expressed support for their running back.
“We feel, obviously, for Nick,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “But I know Nick and his teammates know, and you have to move on.”
“He’s a man of few words who just keeps his head down and he’s always working,” defensive lineman Myles Garrett said. “And that’s the integrity he has for the game. That’s what we hope to have now, especially for him.”