Sam Hubbard sealed his legacy a little over two years ago by making one of the greatest plays in the history of Cincinnati sports. Now, the last Cincinnati Bengals player from the Marvin Lewis era is leaving the game of football behind him.
Hubbard has announced he is retiring from the NFL after seven years with his hometown team.
Hubbard, who was born and raised in Cincinnati and stayed in the Buckeye State to play for Ohio State, was originally drafted in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He was but a wide-eyed 22-year old who found himself in the presence of franchise greats Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap.
Things changed after just a year. The Bengals moved on from Lewis and suddenly new eyes were on Hubbard as he was evolving from a rotational defensive end to a potential leader on that side of the ball. Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo was able to unlock Hubbard in different ways than simply having his hand in the dirt on the edge, but the rest of the defense had ways to go around him.
Everything started to click in 2021, which is when Hubbard signed a four-year, $40 million contract extension to stay in Cincinnati for good. More time and capital to run the Sam Hubbard Foundation, which aids in food security for the community and outfitting local students with school supplies.
That season also nearly ended in a Super Bowl ring, but it was one of the best statistical seasons of Hubbard's career and he got to help end the 31-year playoff victory drought that haunted the Queen City for his entire life. It was also the first year he was named a team captain, beginning a streak of four consecutive years he was given the honor by his teammates.
Hubbard was firmly entrenched as a leader on the field, in the locker room, and in the community. As one of the last remaining holdovers from the days before Taylor and his staff took over, he became everything they envisioned him being as a veteran starter.
You can point to injuries as to how things got to where they are now. 2022 was another fine year for Hubbard as the Bengals made another deep playoff run, but an ankle injury from training camp in 2023 disrupted that season and a hamstring injury suffered almost exactly a year later made 2024 a difficult one for "The Cincinnati Kid," a moniker NBC's Mike Tirico came up with on the fly while commentating the most iconic play of Hubbard's career.
Hubbard and the Bengals were on the doorstep of losing in the Wild Card Round of the 2023 NFL Playoffs to the Baltimore Ravens. Cincinnati's AFC North rival was a yard away from scoring the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter when a miraculous fumble forced by Germaine Pratt was recovered mid-air by none other than Hubbard.
That play belongs in the annals of Bengals history now. How fitting it was for one of the city's own products to make the play.
The last play Hubbard ever made wasn't quite as impactful, but it was indeed memorable. The offense brought him out as an eligible receiver this past season against the Tennessee Titans. He ran a corner route, knowing the ball was coming to him, and caught the first and only target of his career for a touchdown, helping Cincinnati win a 37-27 game over the Tennessee Titans.
It was on this very play in Week 15 that Hubbard suffered a torn PCL in his right knee, ending his season, and now his career.
But what a way to go out, right?
Hubbard would've likely been released by the Bengals if he didn't chose to retire instead. He would've had interest from other teams if he decided to keep playing football. That he's opted to hang up the cleats for good signifies not only have injuries taken their toll over the past two years, but there was always only one team Hubbard wanted to play for.
The Cincinnati Kid retires in Cincinnati.
