© Sam Greene-USA TODAY Sports

Sam Hubbard is working his way back from an ankle injury as he met with the media on Monday. The defensive end is famously close with Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and dove into the impact he can still have while missing the rest of the season on the field.

"We've had many conversations, nothing I'd share other than he's in good spirits for the sake of the team because he means a lot to this team," Hubbard said. "The attitude he brings every day even though he's hurt even today, he's in here, positive, picking guys up, and that just speaks to his leadership. And I'm thankful for that."

Cincinnati has strong locker room leadership to pair with Burrow's off-field influence. It's a less restrictive injury than the knee tear in 2021, allowing Burrow to be on the field with a headset during games offering as much help as he can.

Hubbard did not want to discuss his ankle injury on Monday.

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