​The NFL is a cutthroat, ever-shifting business where today’s stars can become tomorrow’s afterthought in the blink of an eye. Injuries have a way of derailing even the most promising campaigns for the most talented players and teams, and sometimes they leave a mark that never fully fades. Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard illustrates this harsh reality. He cashes in on a lucrative four-year contract extension in 2024 after posting nearly 1,200 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns across 15 games. Yet a late-season calf injury derailed that momentum, and the ripple effects lingered long after the injury healed.
In the year that followed, Hubbard was far from his peak form. He looked like a shadow of his former self, finishing the season with only 511 rushing yards and a solitary touchdown across 15 appearances. As the Panthers aim for a stronger 2026 campaign, Pro Football Focus slots Hubbard at No. 27 among running backs. The reasons for his decline are clear: injuries and the rise of Rico Dowdle combined to push Hubbard into what was arguably the least productive NFL season of his career in 2025. If you factor in the postseason, he averaged a modest 3.8 yards per carry, and his 15 missed tackles forced ranked among the lowest for players with at least 100 rushing attempts.
Dowdle’s departure to Pittsburgh opens a pathway for Hubbard to reclaim the starting role, but the clock is ticking. If Hubbard cannot regain his explosiveness and production, the Panthers will be pressing to find a replacement in the lineup sooner rather than later, potentially turning to rookie Jonathon Brooks. Brooks, a 2024 second-round pick, arrives with medical clearance and spring workout buzz, though his limited pro exposure—only 23 snaps in the NFL due to two ACL injuries—also invites patience from observers and coaches alike.
The most conspicuous deficiency for Hubbard in 2025 was a lack of burst. He managed just one broken tackle all season and totaled only 242 yards after contact, a stark drop from the 539 yards after contact he posted the year prior. That particular aspect of his game was a strong suit for Brooks during his collegiate career at Texas, where his blend of speed and contact balance translated into sizable gains after contact.
Despite the uphill climb, Hubbard deserves another opportunity to prove he can be the running back he once was. Returning to form will require a combination of durability, sharper vision, and the ability to reestablish that early-career gear that made him a trusted contributor in Carolina’s backfield. The Panthers will need to monitor Hubbard closely as the season opener approaches, balancing patience with urgency to ensure they don’t miss an opportunity to stabilize the position if he falters again.
For ongoing Panthers updates and deeper analysis, follow @ThePanthersWire on X. This piece originally appeared on Panthers Wire, highlighting Hubbard’s trajectory and the debates surrounding his standing on the team’s depth chart.