Pittsburgh — Kareem Hunt He stood in entrance of his locker at Acrisure Stadium on Sunday and answered the query. It is probably not the final time Hunt solutions questions in that locker room.
Nevertheless, it’s an nearly inevitable consequence it will be the last time Hunt does this as a member of the Cleveland Browns. The ultimate 12 months of his working again contract was basically over when the Browns completed their season with a win. 28-14 loss to Pittsburgh Steelers.
“Dude, I suppose I will be worrying about tomorrow for tomorrow,” Hunt mentioned after the sport. “I am probably not fearful about that.”
Sunday was just like the final time Hunt would put on a Browns jersey, his four-year stint together with his hometown workforce. Sudden bursts, however an unsatisfactory stats output, partly resulting from some harm points.
Hunt took 4 13-yard pictures in opposition to the Steelers, the place he ran 47 yards in 12 pictures in a Week 3 win in Cleveland. As within the first encounter, he hit 4 targets 3 times, this time for 15 yards.
Nevertheless, Hunt left the sport late within the second quarter after a 4-yard run to be evaluated for potential head harm. He handed all of the checks and managed to return again within the second half.
In the long run, it doesn’t matter what tomorrow or the subsequent day brings, Hunt believes he left all of it on the sphere.
“Sure,” Hunt mentioned. “All I can do is exit on the sphere and play the sport and do my job.”
A part of that job is what Hunt does on the sphere. One other half is the enterprise facet, which can regularly evolve between now and the beginning of free company on March 15 at 16:00.
When that point comes, there’s an excellent likelihood that Hunt will likely be among the many market runners searching for a brand new deal. There’s at all times an opportunity this deal will come from the Browns, the workforce that gave her an opportunity after she was launched by the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs resulting from an off-field incident involving a girl.
Nevertheless, after a 2021 season restricted to simply eight video games resulting from accidents and COVID, and a lately ending season the place his productiveness plummeted, Hunt’s probabilities of securing a brand new contract with the Browns look slim. Whereas he admitted he could not fear concerning the future, he did not deny that the considered Sunday could be his final recreation with the Browns.
“So, sure,” Hunt mentioned. “I did, however that is a part of the enterprise we’re in. So I am going to do my greatest to get it each day the place God decides he needs me to be.”
Hunt’s numbers is probably not large by the NFL speeding title normal he set as a rookie in Kansas Metropolis in 2017. It may not even have been what some had anticipated after the season opener on the Carolinas when it turned clear {that a} concerted effort had been made to essentially run Hunt and Nick Chubb’s backcourt as a official duo.
Chubb has undoubtedly solidified himself as among the best Browns of all time together with his efficiency throughout his season. His 77 quick yards in opposition to Pittsburgh gave him 1,525 yards, making it solely the second Browns to clear him for 1,500 yards—Jim Brown was the opposite.
“Nick is a good teammate, a fantastic individual, one in all my greatest pals,” Hunt mentioned. “I am glad for him. He might have executed that for a couple of years, I really feel like. He hasn’t at all times been a egocentric man and has at all times performed arduous for his workforce, it doesn’t matter what the scoreboard mentioned.”
Hunt, in the meantime, was unable to achieve such statistics. Nevertheless, he believes that if nothing else, he has one thing on show for potential suitors.
The 123 speeding tries Hunt has completed are second most for him throughout his time with the Browns, behind his 198 within the 2020 playoff season. Likewise, his 468 runs have been second solely to his 841 that season; This included not solely the common season win in opposition to Pittsburgh, but in addition a playoff win on the identical stadium the place the Browns profession could have ended on Sunday.
“It meant lots,” Hunt mentioned of this season. “It could not be higher to play in your hometown workforce and provides your all each time you contact the pitch. However God has a plan. I am wanting ahead to what he has in retailer for me, so let’s have a look at what occurs.”
Ever since that surreal January night time in 2021 when the Browns turned their 5 Steelers turnovers and a 28-0 first-quarter win into their first playoff win because the 1995 New Yr’s Eve, they have been chasing it and failing to repeat that season’s successes. As a substitute of stacking season endings, they stacked up consecutive shedding seasons, together with a 7-10 file this 12 months.
For Hunt, on-court recollections is probably not so heat and fuzzy, particularly during the last two seasons. Nevertheless, Hunt, who performed highschool soccer in Willoughby South, just some miles east of Cleveland, after which went on to play on the College of Toledo in faculty, will at the very least attempt to cherish the recollections he needed to spend a couple of years with. skilled profession in his hometown.
“It was nice,” Hunt mentioned. “I’ve so many nice family and friends round, and that is one thing a Cleveland child has at all times needed to do. So rising up is actually a dream come true. I really feel like I’ve lived it and I am excited to see what occurs.” one thing else occurs.”
Contact Chris at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com.
On Twitter: @ceasterlingABJ
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