ESPN explains decision not to show replay of Nick Chubb's injury

According to Deitsch, the spokesperson said a decision was made by the "Monday Night Football" production team onsite in Pittsburgh "not to show viewers at home a replay."

"We viewed the replays in our production truck immediately after the play and decided to use discretion out of respect to the viewers and Nick Chubb," the spokesperson said.

The four-time Pro Bowler took a hard hit from Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (who was also injured on the play) at the end of his first-and-goal rushing attempt early in the second quarter and had to be carted off the field.

Moments after the injury, "Monday Night Football" announcers Joe Buck and Troy Aikman addressed the hit and explained that fans at home wouldn't be seeing a replay.

"I am told that the replay of Nick Chubb getting injured is not to be seen," Buck said.

"Yeah, we’re not going to show it. It’s as bad as you can imagine," Aikman added.

There was apparently a replay shown on the big screen at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, because as Buck and Aikman were talking, fans tuning into the broadcast could hear a loud gasp from thousands of people at the game.

Gruesome injuries are, unfortunately, nothing new to the NFL. The best that those involved in the replay decisions can do is use their discretion with what to show and what to avoid.

"We did a number of pieces on this last October regarding the decision by Amazon’s production truck to show a half-dozen-or-so replays of Tua Tagovailoa’s injury that included some high-def close-ups," Deitsch said. "NFL game producers have told me for years that the singular charter they have is to chronicle the game on the field. To gloss over the uncomfortable is to not fulfill the charter you claim is most important. But that is a very hard call in real-time and knowing you will be severely criticized for it."