Defensive end Sam Hubbard was not on the Bengals’ injury report in the final weeks of the regular season, but he also wasn’t totally healthy.
Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said at the Senior Bowl this week that Hubbard played hurt in the final weeks of the year and that he had surgery after the Bengals played their final game. Tobin did not disclose the issue that Hubbard was dealing with, but said he’s confident “he’ll revert back to the old Sam Hubbard” come his return to the field.
“He was just a warrior and played through things most human beings wouldn’t play through and gave us the opportunity to go out there with a chance to win. That’s what Sam Hubbard is all about,” Tobin said, via the team’s website.
Hubbard did miss a pair of games in midseason and finished the year with 58 tackles, six sacks, and two fumble recoveries. He’s under contract in Cincinnati for two more seasons.
