Things have not gone according to plan for Chuba Hubbard this season. The running back came into the campaign as a Carolina Panthers' cornerstone. Now, he's been relegated to a backup role thanks to the sensational surge of free-agent signing Rico Dowdle.
Although that is immensely disappointing from the player's standpoint, Hubbard always puts the team first. And by his own admission, that could be among the most significant reasons behind his regression.
Hubbard suffered a calf injury earlier in the campaign. He tried to fight through it, but the explosiveness had regressed considerably. The Panthers eventually sat him down, enabling Dowdle to get his shot. And the rest is history.
Chuba Hubbard confirms what Carolina Panthers fans knew about hasty return
This prompted Hubbard to return before he was ready. The former Oklahoma State standout admitted precisely that, and even though this was done with the team in mind, it's taken him time to find his feet.
"In all honesty, I'm a competitor, and when I came back from my calf, I wasn't quite where I wanted to be. Obviously, in the league you are never going to be at 100 percent; I just wanted to be there for my team. So, maybe rushed it back a little sooner than I should have, which is my own doing. The team does a good job of protecting me, though. Throughout the last few weeks, just kind of been trying to get back to 100 percent."Chuba Hubbard
Chuba Hubbard isn’t moving but he moved well for the #Panthers on Sunday. Said he may have rushed back from the calf injury that sidelined him for two games and ultimately led to him losing his job to Rico Dowdle. pic.twitter.com/w6f55Lxx6J
— David Newton (@DNewtonespn) November 18, 2025
This is something fans suspected all along. Hubbard was not running with the same burst or purpose. The drop-off was evident, but there have been signs over the last two games that indicate he's slowly getting back to something like his old self.
Hubbard, who was rewarded for his exceptional production and emerging leadership with a new four-year extension last season, averaged 5.3 yards per carry against the Falcons. But perhaps more impressively, it was his decisiveness in identifying lanes and exploiting them that left a much bigger impact.
The Panthers will keep Dowdle as the lead back. He's earned it. However, don't be surprised if Hubbard progresses enough to become more of a factor as Carolina looks to wrestle the NFC South from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' grasp.
That would be the best-case scenario. Hubbard didn't become a bad player overnight; he was just too eager to make a comeback amid growing pressure on his depth chart status.
Hubbard learned a hard lesson. And slowly but surely, he is starting to show glimpses of the player who gained over 1,300 yards from scrimmage last time around.