Bengals star defender reveals he had significant offseason procedure

The Bengals are heading into the 2024 season with high expectations, especially with the return of quarterback Joe Burrow, who suffered a season-ending wrist injury last year. However, one of their star defenders revealed he was also far from healthy at the end of 2023.

Defensive end Sam Hubbard, Cincinnati's third-round pick in 2018, dealt with an ankle injury that kept him out for two games last season, but it was more extensive than originally thought.

"There was a lot of instability in the ankle that we found out later," Hubbard told reporters. "Probably should have been fixed earlier, but you didn't know until we went in there."

Hubbard said he tweaked it in training camp, but it became more severe as the season progressed, reaggravating it in the Bengals' Week 9 win over the Buffalo Bills.

The 28-year-old was able to play through the injury, finishing the season with 58 tackles (seven for a loss), six sacks, 17 QB hits and two fumble recoveries. After returning from his two-game hiatus, he was not the same, tallying just two sacks from Weeks 12-18.

At the end of the season, a fluoroscopy revealed that it wasn't a routine ankle sprain. Luckily, Hubbard said the surgery was a success and that he should be fully healthy by the start of the 2024 season.

"I'm thankful that I made it out with no cartilage damage and stuff like that, but it's all fixed," he added.

For now, the six-year veteran is solely focused on returning to the level of play he was at before the injury, and there is still much of the offseason ahead.

"I stayed here the whole time, rehabbing at the new training room we got and been progressing really well. Been running with the team now, so I'm feeling good," concluded Hubbard. "I was playing great the first half. Had some of my best football. ... I'm going to get back to my old self."