Nick Chubb scored on a 3-yard touchdown run with 19 seconds left in overtime and Cleveland rallied Sunday to stun Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-17 in Brissett’s final start before Deshaun Watson returns from his 11-game suspension.
Afterward, the Browns gave Brissett a game ball before the popular 29-year-old channeled Brady, his former teammate in New England.
“I mean this in no disrespect,” Brissett said when asked how he felt after the comeback win. “But in the words of Tom Brady, that was (expletive) awesome. That was (expletive) awesome.”
Chubb powered through a pile of bodies at the goal line as the Browns (4-7) sent Brissett off with a win as they transition to Watson, who was banned by the NFL for sexual misconduct allegations. He’ll start next week in Houston, which traded him to Cleveland in March.
So this was a special one for Brissett, who has been invaluable to the Browns during another turbulent season.
“I’m obviously grateful for this opportunity and grateful for those men in that room,” said Brissett, who also threw a key block on receiver Anthony Schwartz‘s 31-yard TD run. “This was a great game to kind of end it on, but we have to stack them.”
Chubb’s short TD was set up when Brissett c onnected on a 45-yard pass to wide receiver Amari Cooper, who found himself wide open when Bucs cornerback Carlton Davis III slipped and fell near midfield.
The Browns forced OT on tight end David Njoku’s remarkable, one-handed TD catch with 32 seconds left in regulation. Njoku extended his left arm to haul in Brissett’s 12-yard scoring strike in the back of the end zone.