Chuba Hubbard Injury Update
Chuba Hubbard won’t suit up Sunday for Carolina after being ruled out with a nagging calf injury, and man, that definitely puts Panthers fans on edge ahead of the Dolphins game. The buzz started when he didn’t practice all week, not even a “limited” rep, which is worrying, especially after he somehow gritted it out in Week 4. It’s like watching your car sputter over the finish line one weekend, then refusing to start the next. Coach Canales sounded almost like a cautious dad, talking about Hubbard’s calf needing “more treatment, more time.”
Adam Schefter reported on Twitter that for the second consecutive day, Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard missed practice due to a calf injury. The injury is similar to the one he played through last week, but it has worsened.
You could hear the frustration and a bit of hope, too, like maybe if they say “day-to-day” enough, a miracle happens. But by Friday, that hope ran out. NFL insiders and the Panthers themselves confirmed he’s officially sidelined for Sunday. Suddenly, the Panthers’ RB room looks very “next man up.” Rico Dowdle, the supposed backup, is about to go from second fiddle to lead act and with 35% of the snaps and just 83 rushing yards on the year, it’s maybe not the blockbuster handover anyone imagined.
Still, Dowdle has looked hungry in short bursts and gets a Miami D that’s coughed up plenty of points to backs, so fantasy diehards are no doubt eyeing him as a possible RB2 gamble. Behind him, rookie Trevor Etienne and DeeJay Dallas are there to spell him, though I doubt Miami defensive coaches are losing sleep over that yet.
The funny thing? Just last week, Hubbard was fighting through this exact injury, powering by on what must have been a cocktail of adrenaline and tape. Now it’s worse, and the NFL reminder is clear: these calf injuries aren’t jokes push too hard, and you might be watching from the sidelines for much longer.
For Carolina, the run game was already their Band-Aid for a limping offense. Now, with their top RB out and the season slipping fast, Panthers fans might be feeling more than a calf twinge maybe a little whiplash, too. Here’s hoping for a quick and full recovery for Hubbard; RB depth charts can be drama enough without these weekly surprises.
