Bengals DE, Cincinnati native Sam Hubbard announces retirement from football

CINCINNATI — Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard announced Wednesday he is retiring from football.

Hubbard, a Cincinnati native who graduated from Moeller and played at Ohio State, spent his entire seven-year career in the NFL with the Bengals.

"As a kid growing up in Southwest Ohio, Cincinnati has always been, and will always be, home to my family and me," Hubbard said in an Instagram post. "I bled orange and black before I ever put on a Bengals jersey. The journey that took me from a high school lacrosse player up 71-North to become a defensive end at The Ohio State University and back home again as a Bengals third-round pick in 2018, is something for which I am grateful for every day."

Hubbard didn't provide a specific reason for the retirement but said he isn't going anywhere.

Hubbard was voted as team captain each of his last four seasons with the team. He was a key part of the Bengals Super Bowl appearance, as well as helping the team win back-to-back AFC North titles.

“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 press release. “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."

Hubbard ends his career with 398 total tackles, 55 of which were for a loss, 38.5 sacks, one interception, six forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries. He also caught a touchdown pass this past season.

He is most famous for his Fumble in the Jungle, which helped the Bengals secure a wild-card round victory over the Baltimore Ravens in the 2022 season's playoffs when he recovered a fumble at the 2-yard line, and returned it back for a touchdown.

Hubbard's impact went beyond the field when he created the Sam Hubbard Foundation in 2021, with the goal of bringing equitable access to food, education and a healthy lifestyle for all Cincinnatians. Hubbard said in his Instagram post announcing his retirement that he would continue that work. As a result of that foundation, his work in the annual Fowling Tournament and at the Sam Hubbard Youth Football Camp, he was the Bengals' nominee for Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2021 and 2022.