The overwhelming expectation has been that the Cincinnati Bengals would cut ties with defensive end Sam Hubbard this offseason after he had a lackluster showing during the 2024 campaign.
Hubbard played in 14 games but tallied just two sacks and wasn’t the complement for Trey Hendrickson that the Bengals were hoping he’d be. And, with a big salary cap hit in 2025, Hubbard was considered a likely cap casualty.
But Hubbard threw a curveball on Wednesday when he announced that he was retiring from the NFL in a statement posted to social media., thus ending his impressive career after seven seasons.
Why did Sam Hubbard retire?
In the statement released on social media, Hubbard revealed that he wants to focus on his health and foundation, spend more time with his family and “take on new challenges.”
“What’s next? Although it is the end of my playing career, I view this as a new beginning,” he wrote. “A new chapter to explore other business opportunities, further the mission of The Sam Hubbard Foundation, focus on my healthy and family and also take on new challenges.”
— Sam Hubbard (@Sam_Hubbard_) March 5, 2025
A former third-round pick of the Bengals in 2018, Hubbard proved to be a reliable defender for Cincinnati over seven seasons. He never missed more than three games in a season and tallied six sacks or more five times.
His best season came in 2019, when he finished with a career-best 8.5 sacks. He eventually landed a four-year, $40 million extension from Cincinnati.
Hubbard’s retirement is at least a bit surprising. Granted, he did not have a good year in 2024, but he was also playing hurt and will only be turning 30 in June. Hubbard definitely would have had suitors on the open market.
While it’s sad to see a franchise stalwart like Hubbard go, this doesn’t really change anything for the Bengals. They were set to be looking for a new edge rusher, anyway, after inevitably cutting ties with the 29-year-old.
That isn’t the only question mark the Bengals have along the edge, though. The team must also lock up Hendrickson on a long-term deal as he enters the final season of his current contract or else he could hold out and demand a trade.
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