BSN Exclusive: Bradley Chubb through the eyes of the person who knows him best

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Overnight, Bradley Chubb became the guy in the Mile High City after John Elway selected him with the No. 5 overall pick on Thursday night.

Now, everyone in town wants to know everything about their next great Bronco.

No one knows him better than Detroit Lions’ linebacker, Brandon Chubb, otherwise known as Bradley’s brother, 

“He’s a great football player,” Brandon told BSN Denver on Friday, knowing a thing or two about football himself. “From the time the ball hikes to the end of the play he’s going to give you all he has.”

On the field, Bradley’s talent is no secret. But the man under the jersey isn’t as well known.

“He’s not going to be a prima donna or worry about how his socks look and stuff like that,” Brandon said with no a nonsense look. “He’s just going to give it to you. He’s hard-nosed, it’s kind of our background, the Chubb background — just play whistle to whistle, run to the ball and give it your all.”

Bradley’s journey to the NFL began, well, before he was even born. His father, Aaron, played football at the University of Georgia before being drafted by the dreaded — at least in the Mile High City — New England Patriots.

His mother, Stacey, was no joke in her athletic abilities, either. She grew up a cheerleader before becoming a marathon runner.

Once Bradley entered the world, while he wasn’t in the NFL, his competitive spirit was NFL-caliber. Whether it be on the local field or in mundane tasks, the two Chubb brothers competed with each other day in and day out in every possible activity that could have an ounce of competitiveness.

Now with both of their sons in the NFL, Aaron and Stacey are thrilled, but back in the day dad had to constantly break up fights as the two brothers consistently drove mom up a wall.

As Bradley likes to swipe towels from opposing quarterbacks to get under their skin, there is only one thing that Brandon knows that will get under his younger brothers skin. Fortunately for the Broncos, it’s beating him in video games.

These days, however, are long gone. After Brandon pursued his dreams at Wake Forest in 2011, the much bigger Bradley took off to North Carolina State. It didn’t take long for his brother to know Bradley was going to make it in the league big some day.

“I saw it in Bradley early just because I know football and I know what he’s capable of,” the Detroit Lions’ linebacker said the day after his brother was drafted. “His sophomore year, once he got on the field his sophomore year at N.C. State, he had a great season for a sophomore, and I knew he could still build upon it and he still had way more in the tank. I knew [the NFL] was definitely possible. Then I went to the NFL that next year. It was just a matter of time of waiting, waiting for his eligibility to run out.”

With his older brother waiting for him to join him in the NFL, Bradley decided to postpone their reunion one more year to finish out his senior season. The move was risky and unconventional.

“He felt like he still had something he needed to finish at N.C. State with also getting his degree with also finishing what he started,” Brandon said. “He was 10 sacks away from Mario Williams record. Just finish it, why not, ya know? He felt like he still had room to grow and he proved it. Last year he would have been a first rounder, between 20 and 30. Now he’s No. 5. It worked out for the best. It was a great decision.”

What now clearly seems like a great decision was very controversial in the moment. In fact, Brandon urged his brother to enter the NFL.

“I didn’t like it at first; I’m not going to lie,” he said. “I know how hard it is to make a dollar in this league and how quick people come and go. He said ‘Brandon, I’m coming back, but I promise I won’t disappoint.’ And he didn’t. I’m proud of him.”

This decision, however, wasn’t unusual for Bradley. In fact, it’s in the Chubb blood.

“Our mindset is just different,” Brandon said, speaking on behalf of his family. “We’re taught to finish everything; we don’t half do it. If you do something, you start a task and give it your all.”

John Elway’s evaluation would confirm this as the team’s general manager preached about Chubb’s non-stop motor and work ethic over and over again after the team drafted him.

It took one year longer than Brandon would have liked, but in the end, his younger brother is back to playing in the same league. Bradley’s new league just has a tad higher stakes and pay grade than the pickup league they played in as kids.

“It’s cool to finally see it,” Brandon said as a proud older brother. “For it to happen is awesome.”