Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard has finally spoken more about his mysterious injury saga, which started back during the summer.
Speaking with WLWT’s Charlie Clifford before Week 11 against the Los Angeles Chargers, Hubbard revealed that he nearly missed the entire 2024 season before fighting through an issue that required surgery.
“It was a Grade 3 hamstring tear that I could have operated on and missed the season, or rested about six weeks and played through,” Hubbard said. “I knew it was going to be something that lingered through the year, but they told me I would be able to work through it. Ten games later, I’m finally feeling pretty good.”
Hubbard left training camp on a cart near the end of July and was generally a vague injury talking point by the team right up until Week 1. In late September, Hubbard hinted in an interview that his hamstring injury could hurt him the rest of the season.
The impact of the injury has been obvious, with Hubbard playing a career-low 63 percent of the defense’s snaps so far (not counting his rookie year). He’s been one of many defenders struggling this season, with Joseph Ossai only just starting to get more playing time on the edge and former first-rounder Myles Murphy struggling to break onto the field at all.
Turning 30 next summer and with an $11.6 million cap hit on the final year of his deal next season, Hubbard will be one of the key points to watch this offseason for the Bengals.
