Although he’s dealt with quite a bit of adversity, Chuba Hubbard has been one of the few constants for the Carolina Panthers over the past three seasons. But that time may only be a jumping-off point for the 24-year-old running back.
Hubbard spoke with reporters after Wednesday’s installment of voluntary minicamp. He was asked about his reflection on what was a standout 2023 campaign.
“In all honesty, I think in my confidence, just getting that back was a big thing for me—especially my body,” said Hubbard, who rushed for a team-high (and career-high) 902 yards this past season. “With the surgeries and stuff that I’ve dealt with, I’ve kinda varied with where my body’s been. Some people may look at it on the field and be like, ‘Oh, he has this, that going on,’ but it’s just a lot of health issues and stuff like that. So I think getting back to building up a good base, a solid base and then putting it all together—I think that was big for me.”
Hubbard, a fourth-round pick from 2021, stated that he had undergone double adductor and meniscus surgeries prior to his rookie season. He also went back under the knife on a double adductor procedure after that first year.
But with those setbacks behind him, Hubbard is looking to build off his health and his success.
“Man, I’m trying to get better in everything,” he added. “I wanna be one of the best tools for this team. I wanna win. I wanna win in Carolina. So, however that looks—me catching the ball, me pass blocking, running the ball—I need to be my best. So whatever it takes.”
