Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard made his retirement official after a brilliant seven-year tenure with his home team.

The 29-year-old, instrumental in the resurgence of the franchise, posted a heartfelt goodbye note, thanking teammates, coaches, and fans.

A Heartfelt Goodbye to Bengals Nation

Sam Hubbard, Cincinnati Bengals DE, Calls it Quits After 7 Sam Hubbard, Cincinnati Bengals DE, Calls it Quits After 7
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As NBC Sports reports, Hubbard announced his retirement via social media, thanking the Bengals organization and their die-hard fan base, Who Dey Nation.

"I want to send a sincere thank you to my teammates, coaches, trainers, support staff, Bengals ownership, and the NFL for everything you all have done for me," Hubbard said on social media. "I could not have done any of this alone. To the fans -- Who Dey Nation -- I thank you the most; you inspired me. From the years of struggle and adversity to Super Bowl LVI, you never stopped believing. I hope I made you proud."


Hubbard also pointed to the importance of playing his whole career with a single team.

"To play my whole career in one uniform is really special to me, and I'm a Bengal for life, always have been and always will be."

Longest-Serving Bengals Player

Grown-up and raised in Cincinnati, Hubbard was the longest-serving member of the Bengals' roster. He was the sole remaining member prior to head coach Zac Taylor's tenure in 2019 and served as a beacon of change for the team.

Hubbard's 2024 campaign came to an end in December when he tore his PCL against the Tennessee Titans, according to ESPN. Ironically, he did it on his first reception of his career — a 2-yard touchdown reception in a 37-27 win.

Even before that, he had struggled with a Grade 3 hamstring injury before the opening of the regular season. Not deterred by the setback, he decided to play despite the pain to help the team. He completed the season with two sacks in 14 games, showing his toughness.

Bengals Move Toward a New Era

Hubbard's retirement comes as the Bengals make financial adjustments ahead of free agency. He was set to carry an $11.5 million cap hit in 2025, and had the team cut him, they would have saved $9.5 million in salary cap space.

The Bengals are expected to make several roster changes, but Hubbard's departure marks the end of an era for Cincinnati's defense.

Hubbard as an Integral Part of Cincinnati's Super Bowl Run

Hubbard was instrumental in the turnaround of Cincinnati from being among the league's worst teams to a Super Bowl LVI playoff contender. He played 2,679 defensive snaps in regular season and postseason games from 2021-2023, the second-most by any defensive lineman during that time, according to ESPN Research.

The Bengals drafted Hubbard in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft, and he went on to account for 38.5 sacks in 104 games throughout his career and another four sacks in seven postseason games. His leadership was unquestioned, as he was a team captain in each of the final four seasons.

Lasting Impact on the Bengals Franchise

Bengals owner Mike Brown paid tribute to Hubbard's legacy, acknowledging his service on and off the field. He said that Hubbard is always a great contributor to the whole Bengals organization and community.

For Brown, he couldn't forget Hubbard's 98-yard fumble return touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens during the Wild Card Round. That's one of the most memorable plays in team history.

While Hubbard officially retired from professional football at a young age, it seems that Aaron Rodgers still "got something left" to show this season—at 41 years old.