One of the Cincinnati Bengals’ biggest concerns this season has been the decline of defensive end Sam Hubbard.

The Cincinnati native has been nonexistent in numerous games, but the veteran has finally spoken a bit more on the issues behind the scenes.

Hubbard has opened up about quite a shocking injury he has been dealing with since this summer and nearly missed the entire 2024 season.

Hubbard shared this situation with WLWT’s Charlie Clifford saying, “It was a Grade 3 hamstring tear that I could have operated on and missed the season, or rested about six weeks and played through. I knew it was going to be something that lingered through the year, but they told me I would be able to work through it.

“Ten games later, I’m finally feeling pretty good.”

Sam Hubbard reveals this summer he was told surgery would knock him out for the entire 2024 season.

Instead, the longest-tenured player on the Bengals roster opted to push forward.

Full conversation ahead this morning @WLWT pic.twitter.com/T98Nw582I3

— Charlie Clifford (@char_cliff) November 17, 2024

Hubbard left practice back in July with this mysterious injury but has worked to stay on the field and balance recovery as well.

The injury clearly explains why Hubbard has been on the field for just over 60% of defensive snaps and why he has struggled to make a game-changing impact.

Joseph Ossai and Myles Murphy are two players who want to continue getting more snaps, and Hubbard’s injury has given them that opportunity.