As the NFL's slogan says, "football is family."
When the Broncos and Browns meet on "Thursday Night Football," that will actually turn out to be the case on a literal basis.
Nick Chubb, star Browns running back, and Broncos pass rusher Bradley Chubb are two of the best at their respective positions across all of the NFL. They're also related, and part of a pretty culturally significant southern family.
MORE: How close did the Browns really come to 2017 NFL Draft disaster?
When the two meet on the field on Sunday, it's the next meeting between the two, who first met face-to-face in 2013.
"I was home during bowl season. That was the first time we all caught up," Bradley's brother Brandon said in 2015. "Nick, with his success at Cedartown — word started spreading around Georgia. So, me and Brad kept up with him. There was definitely a football connection all around."
Here's what you need to know about the Nick and Bradley Chubb relationship:
Are Bradley Chubb and Nick Chubb related?
Bradley Chubb and Nick Chubb, are, in fact, related: Bradley is the younger cousin of Nick. The two are related through an aunt.
Despite the two being related, they first met face-to-face in 2013, while Nick was making lots of noise across Georgia for his high school football dominance.
"I remember walking around our high school, and my coach asking me, 'Do you know that Chubb kid from Cedartown?' I started asking my dad, 'Do we know him?' So I think that helped get us together," Bradley said in 2013.
Both players were taken in the 2018 NFL Draft: Bradley was taken by the Broncos with the No. 5 overall pick, while Nick was drafted by the Browns in the second round, with the No. 35 pick. The Chubb cousins have locked horns three times in the NFL since they entered, and Bradley even secured his first career tackle on his cousin Nick.
The Chubb family roots go much deeper than just the two cousins. Chubb ancestors settled in Georgia in the mid-1800s, founding Chubbtown, Ga. The town was untouched by generals during the Civil War, as they were a self-sustaining, independent community. Nick Chubb says his ancestors that settled in Chubbtown were not slaves.
Nick was born in Cedartown, Ga., which is nearby Chubbtown, while Bradley was born in Powder Springs, Ga., about an hour from one another.
How many Chubbs are there?
In addition to Bradley and Nick, there are several more Chubbs to have played football at the collegiate level, and others who made the NFL:
- Brandon Chubb (Brother of Bradley): Played college football at Wake Forest and signed with the Rams practice squad in 2016. Spent time with the Rams, Titans, 49ers, Panthers and Lions during the offseason.
- Aaron Chubb (Father of Bradley and Brandon): Played linebacker at Georgia. Drafted by the Patriots in the 12th round of the 1989 NFL Draft.
- Henry Chubb (Brother of Nick): Played cornerback at Troy University.
- Zach Chubb (Brother of Nick): Played cornerback at Air Force.
- Henry Chubb (Father of Nick): Played at Valdosta State.
