CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Running back Chuba Hubbard finished designing a custom-made Carolina Panthers letterman's jacket just in time for the holidays.
On Sunday, he finished off the Arizona Cardinals with a 21-yard touchdown run in a 36-30 overtime win that knocked the visiting team out of playoff contention.
Hubbard hopes to have more jackets completed in time to give to his offensive line as presents, and eventually make them available for public consumption. He hopes Carolina's win is a sign of good things to come next season for a team on the rebuild.
"It's gonna take time,'' Hubbard said after rushing for 152 yards, one shy of his career high, on 25 carries. "But to send everyone home for Christmas [with a victory is good].''
Hubbard's game-winner came four weeks after he lost a fumble in overtime against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, when the Panthers were in range for a game-winning field goal. They ended up losing 26-23 to the Bucs, who they face again next Sunday.
"I had an extra big chip on my shoulder from the previous overtime loss,'' Hubbard said. "I just told myself, if I get the opportunity, I need to end it. So blessed for the moment. God's timing is undefeated.''
Chuba Hubbard's ridiculous 21-yard rush gives the Panthers the win over the Cardinals.
Hubbard's touchdown ended an up-and-down day for Carolina (4-11), which built an early 20-3 lead and saw the game pushed to overtime when Arizona hit a 58-yard field goal on the last play of regulation. It quieted a Cardinals team that Panthers players claimed were calling them "trash'' during the game.
"I was going back and forth with somebody on the sideline,'' cornerback Jaycee Horn said. "We were just yapping back and forth damn near half the game, but it was good to knock them out of the playoffs.''
Outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney, who didn't know the upset knocked Arizona out, agreed.
"Good!'' he said. "They leave when we leave.''
The Panthers left an impression on the home crowd that, for a change, wasn't outnumbered by opposing fans. Bryce Young continued to show he could be the team's quarterback of the future, running for a career-long 23-yard touchdown and passing for two more on his way to a 107.5 passer rating.
The offensive line -- which lost starting center Cade Mays to an illness on Sunday morning and had two other starters miss practice time with the same sickness -- paved the way for a season-high 243 yards rushing.
Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard, who scored the winning TD in OT today, shows off the jacket he made. Will be available for others soon. pic.twitter.com/ccnwmPX5vU
— David Newton (@DNewtonespn) December 22, 2024
It defined what coach Dave Canales called "Panthers football,'' the identify he's trying to build in his first season in Carolina. Hubbard has exemplified that more than any Panther this season, particularly the way he bounced back from the fumble against the Buccaneers in Week 13.
"That's just who he is,'' Canales said. "He's just going to go right back to work, and we're going to keep giving him the ball, especially in these types of moments.''
Hubbard's letterman jacket showed more of his style and attitude.
"I have my own clothing brand,'' Hubbard said, as he pointed to the patches on the jacket. "You've got a little [Panthers mascot] Sir Purr there. No. 1 fan. Another Panthers here.
"I have more in production. I just kind of wanted to get it out there for people to see it.''
Then at the bottom of the jacket are the words that perhaps mean the most for a team that try to end a string of seven straight losing seasons next year: "Don't stop until you're proud.'