While the Cincinnati Bengals were dealing with a training camp injury crisis at quarterback, defensive leader Sam Hubbard was quietly going through an ailment of his own that only got worse as the year went on.
Hubbard told reporters Monday that he ended up having tightrope ankle surgery to repair his deltoid following the 2023 season. The injury itself popped up in training camp, and he played through it well during the first half of the year.
"I was playing great the first half," Hubbard said. "Had some of my best football, and even then it was bothering me since training camp, kind of getting worse each week."
Sam Hubbard gutted it out for the Bengals
Following eight weeks of his standard level of play, the Cincinnati native missed two weeks of action, the second being the game quarterback and former Ohio State teammate Joe Burrow went down with a season-ending wrist injury. Hubbard had a decision to make, and his choice was clear.
"After sitting out two weeks and Joe [Burrow] going down, I kind of wanted to just be out there," Hubbard said. "And I was doing the best I could."
Despite a clear consequence.
"I did want to burn that film from the back half of the year."
The numbers backed up the film. Hubbard toughed it out through seven games to finish the season and ended up as Pro Football Focus' sixth-lowest graded starting edge defender during those seven weeks. This was despite the Bengals' defense playing solid football as they attempted a playoff push.
Hubbard says he's about a month out from being fully ready to go, which puts him on track for training camp and the upcoming season. Coming full circle from when the ailment began will be an important milestone for the 28-year old veteran, but he's already earned respect from one of the most important teammates he has.
"That was impressive," fellow edge defender Myles Murphy said of Hubbard's toughness. "Literally, the recovery (daily body treatments) showing up. That showed what he thought of the team. 'I'll do all I can to keep us in position for a chance at the playoffs.' He never said that, but that was the message I got."
Hubbard and Murphy are expected to be more of an equal duo in 2024 as the Bengals look to involve their first round pick from the 2023 NFL Draft more often. The more Murphy plays for Hubbard, the more refreshed Hubbard should be for the duration of the season.
The Bengals owe him that after what he went through for them.
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