Dolphins LB Bradley Chubb won't return this season

Miami Dolphins linebacker Bradley Chubb will not be activated Wednesday when his 21-day window to return concludes, coach Mike McDaniel said Tuesday.

The decision means Chubb will miss the entire 2024 season after trying to recover from a devastating knee injury he sustained in a game against the Baltimore Ravens on Dec. 31, 2023.

Chubb tore the ACL, meniscus and patellar tendon in his right knee with 3:10 left in a game Miami lost 56-19. He began this season on the physically unable to perform list.

McDaniel said Chubb agreed with the decision. The Dolphins (7-8) face long odds of claiming an AFC playoff berth with two games to go.

"He had been very patient in the process, very open-minded and had growth as the process went," McDaniel said. "But ultimately, we all decided that we didn't think he would be able to be the player that he expects -- that we all expect. Just needed a little bit more time that, unfortunately, the season couldn't offer us.

"So he's still all in it, and he was disappointed, but he also understands the big picture at stake and is going to make sure that when he's on the field for the Dolphins, that everyone feels the player that he knows he is."

Chubb is expected to be ready for offseason workouts.

Chubb had a big season in 2023 with 74 tackles, 11 sacks and tying for the NFL lead with six forced fumbles. He recovered two fumbles in 16 games.

Chubb, 28, has 39.5 career sacks in 73 games (72 starts) with the Dolphins and Denver Broncos. Denver selected Chubb No. 5 overall in the 2018 draft and traded him to Miami at the trade deadline of the 2022 season.

A force when healthy, Chubb sustained a season-ending torn left ACL in the fourth game of the 2019 season and missed 10 games in 2021 with an ankle injury.

--Field Level Media