Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard suffered a knee injury against the Tennessee Titans and won’t play against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, coach Zac Taylor said on Monday.
Taylor said he’s not ready to rule Hubbard out from returning for the rest of the season but there’s a “chance” he won’t play again this season. Hubbard suffered the knee injury while scoring a touchdown for the Bengals in Nashville.
“He's certainly out for this week, but as I sit here today, I'm not ready to say how long it's going to be, but there's a chance of that,” Taylor said.
If Hubbard doesn’t play another game for the Bengals this season, there’s a possibility his career in Cincinnati could be over. Hubbard, 29, has one year left on his contract and could easily be a salary cap casualty move the Bengals decide to make this offseason.
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Sam Hubbard's future in Cincinnati
Hubbard’s cap hit is scheduled to be $11.6 million next season. The Bengals gave Hubbard a four-year, $40 million contract extension in 2021.
Given the holes the Bengals must fill on the defensive side of the ball and the lack of production from Hubbard over the last two seasons, it’s a move that certainly makes sense. Cincinnati needs all of the money they can get as their No. 1 priority must be fixing the defense from top to bottom.
If Hubbard’s season is done and his career is in fact over in Cincinnati, he’ll be remembered as one the most important players in the Burrow-era version of the Bengals.
Joe Burrow on 'great friend' Sam Hubbard
Hubbard is a team captain and widely praised for his leadership in the locker room. Look no further than how Burrow praised his teammate and close friend when asked how much he’s impacted his football career.
“He’s been part of my life for a long time,” Burrow said. “He’s been a great friend and really a guy that you can look up to when you’re young because he does things the right way and works really hard. He’s about the right things and when you get into the league (he) helps you with your process. All the off the field stuff that I do, a lot of it I got from Sam. And he’s just a pros pro, has been for a long time, works really hard at it, plays great when he’s in there."
Injuries have drastically impacted Hubbard’s play in the last two seasons. In 2023, Hubbard injured his ankle and played in 15 games. Hubbard opted to play through the pain instead of immediately getting surgery.
He was commended by his coaches, teammates and Bengals’ director of personnel Duke Tobin for his desire to keep playing through his injury.
“I think late in the season he was just a warrior and played through things that most human beings wouldn’t play through and provide us the opportunity to go out there and have a chance to win. That’s what Sam Hubbard is all about,” Tobin said of Hubbard following the 2023 season.
How injuries have slowed Sam Hubbard
Hubbard went on to have extensive ankle surgery and spent majority of his offseason in a walking boot. Because of this injury, all eyes then turned to this season as the true measuring stick of where Hubbard is at in his career.
Then, Hubbard suffered a hamstring injury early on in training camp and he hasn’t been able to get back to the level he was performing at before the rash of injuries in the last two seasons.
Hubbard admitted surgery was an option after the initial diagnosis of his injury. But as Hubbard has proven to do through his career, he wanted to fight through it. He missed all of the preseason and was slow to start the season.
While his play has picked up in the recent months, it’s not where the Bengals need it to be – especially from a pass rush standpoint. His snaps have decreased significantly over the last few weeks as the Bengals give first-round pick Myles Murphy more reps.
His injuries coupled with decreased playing time and not enough production all point to the Bengals likely making a move with a player they greatly respect after the season. If Hubbard does come back for his final year of his contract, it almost certainly won’t be at the price he’s scheduled to make.
Hubbard has two sacks this season. The Bengals – for a second consecutive year – rank in the bottom of the league in sacks. Cincinnati currently sits at No. 31 in the NFL this season in sacks with 25.
The Bengals’ plan to fix the defense after a disappointing season that will likely keep the team out of the postseason again must start and end with fixing the defensive line. They must take a step forward in this direction in 2025.
And while it’s unclear if Hubbard will be here next season or if he’s played his last snap for the Bengals, his legacy speaks more than any play on the field could and that’s how he’ll be remembered within the walls of Cincinnati’s team facility.
“The way he approaches his work, he's seen the high highs and the low lows, he knows the type of consistency that it takes through all of that to be a player that can contribute to a winning team and a winning culture,” Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said of Hubbard. “He's an example of all the right things in terms of being selfless, in terms of being a team player. He's made a lasting impact here for sure. I've enjoyed being here with him."
In 104 games with the Bengals, Hubbard has recorded 38.5 sacks, 98 quarterback hits and 398 tackles.
