Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard has announced his retirement from professional football.Hubbard posted a statement to his X account Wednesday morning with the announcement.”In my heart, I know that I gave this game, this team, and this city everything that I had,” Hubbard’ statement begins.”As a kid growing up in Southwest Ohio, Cincinnati has always been, and always will be, home to my family and me. I bled orange and black before I ever put on a Bengals jersey,” he says.Drafted by the Bengals in the third round of the 2018 draft out of Ohio State, Hubbard ends his career having played all seven seasons with his hometown team.In 104 regular season games, Hubbard totaled 398 tackles, 236 of them being credited as solo tackles, with 55 tackles for a loss, 98 QB hits and 38.5 sacks.He made 88 consecutive starts from 2019-2024, a streak that ended after he sustained an injury in Week 15 against the Tennessee Titans that prematurely ended his 2024 season.“Sam always has been and always will be a wonderful part of the Bengals organization and the entire Cincinnati community,” said Bengals president Mike Brown in a statement released by the team. “Growing up here, he was a top youth athlete on local gridirons and lacrosse fields before becoming a standout football player at Ohio State. We were fortunate to draft him in 2018, and we immediately knew that we added an outstanding player and an even better person to our team.”It has been my honor to watch him play his entire NFL career for his hometown team. We thank him for the memories he created as ‘Cincinnati’s Own.’”A staple on the Bengals defensive line for his entire time in the organization, Hubbard’s most iconic moment came in January 2023 in the wild card round of the playoffs, when he recovered a Tyler Huntley fumble near the goal line and ran 98 yard the other way for a touchdown, breaking a 17-17 tie. It was the longest fumble return for a touchdown in NFL history and sealed the Bengals victory.In what will go down as his final season, Hubbard totaled 41 tackles (25 solo) and 2.0 sacks. He was also credited with a safety, the first of his career, in a Week 5 home loss to the Ravens.A consensus four-star prospect out of Archbishop Moeller, Hubbard played three years at Ohio State. In 40 games, he totaled 116 tackles and 30 sacks, finishing in the top 10 in the Big Ten in the category twice.With the Buckeyes, he garnered Freshman All-American honors (2015, USA Today), Academic All-American honors (2016) and was named to the second-team All-Big Ten (2017) prior to his third-round draft selection.Hubbard’s impact went beyond the white lines of the football field. In 2021 and 2022, he was the Bengals’ nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award. His foundation, the Sam Hubbard Foundation, was started with the goal of bringing equitable access to food, education and a healthy lifestyle for all Cincinnatians.”I consider this nomination to be the highest honor in our league because of the incredible people that have come before me, and because of the resources and awareness it will bring to my foundation and our mission,” said Hubbard after being named the team’s 2022 nominee. “This city gave me a purpose beyond football,” he said in his retirement statement. “Through the Sam Hubbard Foundation, I’ve tried to lift up Cincinnati the way you’ve lifted me. Your support and the impact we have had together have shown me that community and love outweigh any trophy.”Being nominated twice for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award is my proudest accomplishment. I won’t be going anywhere, and we are still just getting started.”“Sam brought a championship mindset to work every single day with his dedication, commitment and passion for the game,” Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said in a statement. “He has proven to be a winner at every level of his career and helped get the most out of his teammates. Sam embraced his Cincinnati roots and created a lasting legacy on and off the field. I am certain he will continue to find success with everything the future brings for him.”Hubbard’s retirement comes as his future in the Jungle was clouded. 2025 was set to be the final year of his current contract, and he was set to make $9 million a year, but he was also considered a candidate to be released by the Bengals in an effort to create cap space for free agency and with the hope of signing Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase to contract extensions.While we’ll never know what the Bengals’ plans were regarding Hubbard in 2025, The Cincinnati Kid’s announcement Wednesday ensured he’ll never wear another team’s helmet.”To play my entire career in one uniform is incredibly special to me, and I am a Bengal for life, always have been and always will be.”
CINCINNATI —Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard has announced his retirement from professional football.
Hubbard posted a statement to his X account Wednesday morning with the announcement.
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— Sam Hubbard (@Sam_Hubbard_) March 5, 2025
“In my heart, I know that I gave this game, this team, and this city everything that I had,” Hubbard’ statement begins.
“As a kid growing up in Southwest Ohio, Cincinnati has always been, and always will be, home to my family and me. I bled orange and black before I ever put on a Bengals jersey,” he says.
Drafted by the Bengals in the third round of the 2018 draft out of Ohio State, Hubbard ends his career having played all seven seasons with his hometown team.
In 104 regular season games, Hubbard totaled 398 tackles, 236 of them being credited as solo tackles, with 55 tackles for a loss, 98 QB hits and 38.5 sacks.
He made 88 consecutive starts from 2019-2024, a streak that ended after he sustained an injury in Week 15 against the Tennessee Titans that prematurely ended his 2024 season.
“Sam always has been and always will be a wonderful part of the Bengals organization and the entire Cincinnati community,” said Bengals president Mike Brown in a statement released by the team. “Growing up here, he was a top youth athlete on local gridirons and lacrosse fields before becoming a standout football player at Ohio State. We were fortunate to draft him in 2018, and we immediately knew that we added an outstanding player and an even better person to our team.
“It has been my honor to watch him play his entire NFL career for his hometown team. We thank him for the memories he created as ‘Cincinnati’s Own.’”
A staple on the Bengals defensive line for his entire time in the organization, Hubbard’s most iconic moment came in January 2023 in the wild card round of the playoffs, when he recovered a Tyler Huntley fumble near the goal line and ran 98 yard the other way for a touchdown, breaking a 17-17 tie.
It was the longest fumble return for a touchdown in NFL history and sealed the Bengals victory.
In what will go down as his final season, Hubbard totaled 41 tackles (25 solo) and 2.0 sacks. He was also credited with a safety, the first of his career, in a Week 5 home loss to the Ravens.
A consensus four-star prospect out of Archbishop Moeller, Hubbard played three years at Ohio State. In 40 games, he totaled 116 tackles and 30 sacks, finishing in the top 10 in the Big Ten in the category twice.
With the Buckeyes, he garnered Freshman All-American honors (2015, USA Today), Academic All-American honors (2016) and was named to the second-team All-Big Ten (2017) prior to his third-round draft selection.
Hubbard’s impact went beyond the white lines of the football field. In 2021 and 2022, he was the Bengals’ nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award. His foundation, the Sam Hubbard Foundation, was started with the goal of bringing equitable access to food, education and a healthy lifestyle for all Cincinnatians.
“I consider this nomination to be the highest honor in our league because of the incredible people that have come before me, and because of the resources and awareness it will bring to my foundation and our mission,” said Hubbard after being named the team’s 2022 nominee.
“This city gave me a purpose beyond football,” he said in his retirement statement. “Through the Sam Hubbard Foundation, I’ve tried to lift up Cincinnati the way you’ve lifted me. Your support and the impact we have had together have shown me that community and love outweigh any trophy.
“Being nominated twice for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award is my proudest accomplishment. I won’t be going anywhere, and we are still just getting started.”
“Sam brought a championship mindset to work every single day with his dedication, commitment and passion for the game,” Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said in a statement. “He has proven to be a winner at every level of his career and helped get the most out of his teammates. Sam embraced his Cincinnati roots and created a lasting legacy on and off the field. I am certain he will continue to find success with everything the future brings for him.”
Hubbard’s retirement comes as his future in the Jungle was clouded. 2025 was set to be the final year of his current contract, and he was set to make $9 million a year, but he was also considered a candidate to be released by the Bengals in an effort to create cap space for free agency and with the hope of signing Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase to contract extensions.
While we’ll never know what the Bengals’ plans were regarding Hubbard in 2025, The Cincinnati Kid’s announcement Wednesday ensured he’ll never wear another team’s helmet.
“To play my entire career in one uniform is incredibly special to me, and I am a Bengal for life, always have been and always will be.”
