Why Cincinnati Bengals Star Sam Hubbard Is Retiring at 29

Sam Hubbard is hanging up his helmet.

The longtime defensive end for the Cincinnati Bengals announced that he’s retiring from the NFL after seven seasons at the age of 29.

“In my heart, I know that I gave this game, this team, and this city everything that I had,” Hubbard wrote in a statement on X (formerly Twitter) March 5. “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.”

The Ohio native went on to reflect on how much it meant to him to be able to play professionally for his home team.

“As a kid growing up in Southwest Ohio, Cincinnati has always been, and will always be, home to my family and me,” Hubbard continued. “I bled orange and black before I ever put on a Bengals jersey. The journey that took me from a high school lacrosse player up 71-North to become a defensive end at The Ohio State University and back home again as a Bengals third-round pick in 2018, is something for which I am grateful for every day.”