A B757-200 INCURRED A FIST-SIZED DENT ON R ENG INBOARD COWLING JUST AFT OF THE INLET. DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE NOSE GEAR SNUBBER DEPARTING ACFT.

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FLT FROM ZZZ TO ZZZ1 LANDED IN ZZZ1. DURING DEPLANING; A PAX TOLD A FLT ATTENDANT THAT HE THOUGHT WE HAD TAKEN A BIRD STRIKE ON THE #2 ENG COWL (INBOARD HIGH). WE INSPECTED THAT AREA AND FOUND DAMAGE ALONG WITH WHAT APPEARED TO BE RUBBER MARKS. THE DAMAGE WAS CONSISTENT WITH A COLLISION WITH A HARD MATERIAL; BUT NOT WITH A BIRD STRIKE (THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF BLOOD OR FEATHERS). INVESTIGATION INDICATED THE DAMAGE MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE SNUBBER (HELPS TO DECELERATE NOSE TIRE WHEN RETRACTED) APPARATUS THAT DEPARTED THE ACFT AT SOME POINT DURING THE FLT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR SAID THE CABIN ATTENDANT ADVISED THE FLT CREW A PAX ON LEAVING THE AIRPLANE STATED A BIRD STRUCK THE R ENG. THE FO MADE A VISUAL CHK OF THE R ENG COWLING AND NOTED A BLACK RUBBER SMEAR AND A DENT. MAINT LATER FOUND THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE NOSE GEAR SNUBBER DEPARTING THE ACFT AND STRIKING THE R ENG COWLING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR ACN 637601 REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: A CHK OF THE R ENG REVEALED THE R ENG INBOARD COWLING JUST AFT OF THE INLET HAD A FIST-SIZED DENT WITH A BLACK STREAK. MAINT BELIEVES THE DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY THE DEP OF THE NOSE GEAR SNUBBER.