Sam Hubbard

Sam Hubbard was born on June 29, 1995 and he is an acclaimed professional football player, best known as the defensive end for the Cincinnati Bengals in the National Football League (NFL). His sportsmanship, dedication, and agility on the field have marked him as a standout player, both in his college years and professional career.

The beginning of Hubbard’s reassuringly successful sports career can be traced back to his high school years at Archbishop Moeller High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. Excelling as a safety player, Hubbard dominated the field, recording 109 tackles and five interceptions during his senior year. His remarkable talents did not go unnoticed; he was recognized as a five-star recruit by Scout.com, following which he made the decision to commit to Ohio State University and further his passion for football.

Apart from football, Hubbard was also an accomplished lacrosse player, and at one point, was committed to the University of Notre Dame to play college lacrosse. However, his love for football prevailed, and he ended up redshirting his first year at Ohio State in 2014. Over the next few years, Hubbard fine-tuned his game, building a steady resume and making a name for himself in the collegiate leagues.

As his years in college football progressed, so did his stat sheet. In 2015, his redshirt freshman year, he played in 13 games and recorded an impressive 28 tackles and 6.5 sacks. As a redshirt sophomore in 2016, he had 46 tackles and 3.5 sacks over the course of 13 games. The following year, as a redshirt junior in 2017, Hubbard’s stats included 42 tackles and a career-high of seven sacks.

On December 30, 2017, marking the end of his college career, Hubbard announced his intention to enter the 2018 NFL Draft. After participating in the NFL Scouting Combine and Ohio State’s pro day, Hubbard attracted the attention of many NFL scouts and was projected to be a first or second-round pick. Sports analysts and draft experts valued his skill set, and DraftScout.com even ranked him as the third-best defensive end.

In the 2018 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals selected Hubbard in the third round with the 77th overall pick. He soon signed a four-year, $3.61 million contract with the team that included a signing bonus of $929,200. Since then, Hubbard has proved his merit on the NFL fields, establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with.

In September 2018, Hubbard made his mark by recording his first-career sack against the Baltimore Ravens. He continued his stellar rookie season with key plays, including a 19-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown in a victory over the Miami Dolphins. During his rookie year, he totalled 39 tackles, nine quarterback hits, and seven tackles-for-loss among other achievements.

Hubbard continued to excel in subsequent seasons, recording notable performances such as two sacks and a career-best 10 tackles in the Bengals’ 2019 season opener against the Seattle Seahawks. In 2019, he successfully tallied 8.5 sacks, 76 total tackles, and one forced fumble appearing in and starting 15 games. Despite an elbow injury that placed him on the injured reserve list in 2020, he returned stronger, recording two sacks, 62 total tackles, and one forced fumble in 13 games.

In 2021, Hubbard signed a four-year, $40 million contract extension with the Bengals, further establishing his value and commitment to the team. The same year, he scored in a 41-17 victory against the Ravens with a 2.5-sack game. His stats for the 2021 season included 7.5 sacks, 62 total tackles, and one forced fumble.

In his 2022 season, Hubbard tallied 6.5 sacks, 60 total tackles, and one forced fumble over 15 games. In a significant moment on January 15, 2023, during the Wild Card Round against the Ravens, Hubbard scored a 98-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter off of a fumble by Tyler Huntley. This record-breaking play became the longest touchdown in Bengals playoff history and the longest go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter in NFL playoff history. This decisive moment in the game, now termed the “Fumble in the Jungle,” led to the Bengals’ victory.

Off-field, Hubbard’s commitment extends beyond the football field. In 2021, he incorporated the Sam Hubbard Foundation, expressing his commitment to making an impact in his community. This dedication has led to his nomination for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award in 2021 and 2022, reaffirming his reputation as an athlete with both heart and skill.