On This Date: Sam Hubbard Helps Bengals Win Playoff Game With Fumble In the Jungle

A magical moment in Bengals history.

Jan 15, 2023; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard (94) runs with the ball for a touchdown after a fumble recovery during the second half in a wild card game against the Baltimore Ravens at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

CINCINNATI — Bengals fans can look back on a fun memory three years ago today featuring a Cincinnati kid. Sam Hubbard's Fumble In the Jungle to lift Cincinnati over the Baltimore Ravens in the 2023 NFL Wild Card Round was one of the most exciting plays in team history.

Baltimore was on the doorstep of scoring and taking a 24-17 lead in the fourth quarter, when Hubbard flipped the script and took a Tyler Huntley fumble 98 yards for a score. That ended up being the final scoring play of the game to lift Cincinnati into the divisional round.

It was one of a few huge plays Hubbard made for the Bengals in his career, spanning from 2018 through the 2024 season.

"I want to send a sincere thank you to my teammates, coaches, trainers, support staff, Bengals ownership, and the NFL for everything you all have done for me," Hubbard posted on social media when he retired. "I could not have done any of this alone. To the fans — Who Dey Nation — I thank you the most; you inspired me. From the years of struggle and adversity to Super Bowl LVI, you never stopped believing. I hope I made you proud."

The 2018 third-round pick was a massive part of Cincinnati's playoff teams earlier this decade and finished his career with 398 tackles (236 solo), 55 tackles for loss, 38.5 sacks, 16 pass breakups, one INT, six forced fumbles, and five fumble recoveries. He started 88 consecutive games from 2019-24.

Check out the play below and Joe Burrow's fun reaction from that postgame press conference about his in-play thoughts when the rumble downfield happened:

Sam Hubbard takes the fumble 98 yards for the TD ‼️

📺: #BALvsCIN on NBC
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/hNJJJGqxGF pic.twitter.com/PoVImXrfpz

— NFL (@NFL) January 16, 2023

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