Adam Thielen Passionately Defends Chuba Hubbard After Unfortunate Fumble vs. Bucs

The Panthers wide receiver has 'so much love' for Hubbard.

Adam Thielen speaks to reporters after Carolina Panthers lose to Tampa Bay Buccaneers 26-23 on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. / Alex Zietlow / Twitter / Screenshot

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen isn't wasting a second on teammate Chuba Hubbard's costly fumble in overtime against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

"It's probably the easiest to not be upset with him because of the way that he works, the way that he puts so much time into this game, his body, his technique," Thielen said of Hubbard. "He puts so much in his preparation that there's a guy that you just say, 'Hey man, like this is football, the stuff happens. We know your heart; we know what you're trying to do.'

"We love that guy. And it's because of what he puts in week in, week out, and not one person, I know not one person in this locker room is thinking about him losing us that game. That is the farthest thing from the truth. So, he needs to know that from everyone because he's been carrying us as a team this whole year. So, obviously, it was so much love for him."

“Not one person in this locker room is thinking about him losing us the game. That is the farthest thing from the truth.”

Adam Thielen gave an impassioned defense of Chuba Hubbard postgame, as did all #Panthers.

Read more in this @theobserver story: https://t.co/ZajaFICBy7 pic.twitter.com/h6frS6MCEn

— Alex Zietlow (@alexzietlow05) December 2, 2024

Thielen wasn't the only Panthers player to defend the running back. Said tight end Tommy Tremble: "We all got his back. He's a leader on our team. He's a guy we go to war and die for. We all left plays out there. It's a team effort, and we got to overcome anything."

The Panthers were in position to win the game with a field goal in overtime when Hubbard fumbled the ball with 5:03 to go. Tampa got it back to score the game-winning field goal, bringing the final tally to 26-23.

Hubbard, for his part, was incredibly apologetic for the way it all went down. "Just disappointed in myself, obviously," he told reporters. "With everything that happened in the game for us to be in that position to just put it away. I expect better for myself. I know everyone does. They trust to give me the ball in that situation. I got to do my job.

"Game on the line got to just run the ball, kick a field goal. Everybody's trusted me with the ball. I got to just do better," he continued. "I own it. I'm going to be better. Obviously, a horrible way to lose, but all I can do is own it."

The fumble was definitely not the only thing that went wrong for Carolina in Sunday's game—kicker Eddy Piñero also missed two field goals—but it certainly hit Hubbard hard. With the loss, the 3–9 Panthers have now clinched their seventh-straight losing season. They will next take on the Philadelphia Eagles on Dec. 8.

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