Cincinnati native Sam Hubbard retiring from football after 7 seasons with the hometown Bengals

CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard announced his retirement Wednesday.

The Cincinnati native spent seven seasons with the Bengals, who selected him in the third round of the 2018 draft. Hubbard had 38 1/2 sacks in 104 games while helping Cincinnati return to prominence, including a berth in the Super Bowl following the 2021 season.

Hubbard, known locally as “The Cincinnati Kid,” tore a ligament in his knee while making a leaping touchdown catch against Tennessee last December, missing the Bengals’ final three games.

“In my heart, I know that I gave this game, this team, and this city everything that I had,” the 29-year-old Hubbard wrote on Instagram. “That is why today, with great pride, I am announcing that I am moving on from my playing career in the NFL and entering the next chapter of my life.”

Hubbard delivered a handful of moments that will live on in Bengals lore. His fourth-quarter scoop-and-score against Baltimore in the first round of the 2022 playoffs lifted Cincinnati to victory.

Against the heavily favored Chiefs in the AFC championship game in January 2022, Hubbard sacked Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes twice late in regulation to force overtime. The Bengals won in the extra period to reach the Super Bowl for the first time in more than 30 years.

“From a draft pick to a starter, a 4x captain, and a guy who made a few plays along the way, we accomplished things that will never be forgotten,” Hubbard wrote.

A two-time Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee, Hubbard plans to spend more time on his eponymous foundation, which focuses on bringing “equitable access to food, education, and a healthy lifestyle for all Cincinnatians” according to its website.

“To play my entire career in one uniform is incredibly special to me, and I am a Bengal for life, always have been and always will be,” he wrote.