CINCINNATI — He may not wear the uniform anymore, but Sam Hubbard will always be a Bengal.
The Bengals announced Tuesday that their former captain will be Ruler of the Jungle for the team's home opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday, Sept. 14 at Paycor Stadium.
You asked, The Jungle answered. Sam Hubbard is your Ruler. pic.twitter.com/l21RoYhzh4
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) September 9, 2025
A Cincinnati native, Hubbard played at Moeller and Ohio State before spending his entire NFL career with his hometown team. After seven years with the Bengals, the 30-year-old announced his retirement in March.
"As a kid growing up in Southwest Ohio, Cincinnati has always been, and will always be, home to my family and me," Hubbard said in his retirement announcement. "I bled orange and black before I ever put on a Bengals jersey."
A team captain for four seasons and a key part of Cincinnati's Super Bowl run, Hubbard ended his career with 398 total tackles, 55 of which were for a loss, 38.5 sacks, one interception, six forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries. He also caught a touchdown in his last season.
Most notably, Hubbard garnered national attention for his "Fumble in the Jungle" fumble recovery in the Bengals' win over their division rivals, the Baltimore Ravens, in 2022.
Outside of football, the Moeller grad has continued to give back to the community. He created the Sam Hubbard Foundation in 2021, focused on bringing food, education and a healthy lifestyle to kids throughout the Tri-State both during and after his career.
Now, he gets to lead his hometown team to its second win of the season this Sunday.
