Bradley Chubb's return to Dolphins practice field has excitement level at '10 out of 10'

USA Today

29-05-2025

Bradley Chubb's return to Dolphins practice field has excitement level at '10 out of 10'
Miami Dolphins outside linebacker Bradley Chubb is eager to return to action. After missing all of 2024 due to a knee injury suffered at the end of the 2023 season, Chubb told reporters Wednesday that his excitement level is, '10 out of 10. 10 out of 10, man.'
'Being around last year and trying to lead from the background is one thing, but when you're actually going through the fire with guys and you're actually putting the blood, the sweat and the tears in with the guys, it's a little different," Chubb said.
While Chubb is back on the practice field at organized team activities (OTAs) along with Jaelan Phillips, neither are participating fully at this point.
"Someday, depends on what day you're out there, you'll probably see one, if not both," Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said. "There will be a day or two where we're going to have to back off that, but very happy with where they're at and know that they're as excited as ever."
But Chubb says he doesn't expect to be limited at all when training camp begins in July
'I feel good. I'm moving along good and that's the plan, to be 100 percent," Chubb said. Like I said, be out there as much as I can and continue to lead from out front.
"I'd say I'm about 95-99 percent in terms of just feeling good, feeling better and feeling like myself. For sure high 90s – I would say that last 10 percent is just game reps. Actual game reps, actual tackling just to see where I'm at in that aspect, but that's going to come when it comes and for right now, I'm good where I'm at.'
Once Chubb returns officially, he will finally get a chance to play alongside 2024 first-round pick Chop Robinson.
'Man, I've been smiling ear to ear every time I get a chance to look at the tape,' Chubb said. 'From the jump that Chop (Robinson) has made over his growth – guys get 6.0 sacks and get in the Defensive Rookie of the Year [conversations] and they take the foot off the gas, but Chop has put pedal to the metal.'
He'll also be reunited with Phillips, who suffered a serious knee injury of his own last season.
"To see 'JP' attacking his rehab as hard as he has – just the back-to-back injuries he dealt with and his mindset is still, 'I'm still the best out here. I'm still going to do this and do that,'" Chubb said. "So I know that if I've got those two guys in my corner, I'm going to be good for life.
'We were in [rehab] a lot, man, getting after it, pushing each other, keeping each other's spirits up. At the end of the day, we all know we're hard workers, but it's just about that mental and making sure that mental is right each and every day to attack the day. That's what we did for each other, so it was good.'
Prior to his 2023 injury, Chubb had 11 sacks and six forced fumbles along with 11 tackles for loss and 22 quarterback hits. Can he be just as effective in 2025?
'I don't want to put any numbers on it," Chubb said. "I just know that if we all go out there and do what we know we're capable of, the sky is the limit. We have a lot of great talent, a lot of hard-working men that go in each and every day.'