Panthers’ Hubbard sets mark that could inspire a generation of Canadian players
A 5-yard run on first down in the fourth quarter of a 10-point loss probably seemed forgettable to most spectators on Sunday at Bank of America Stadium. But for Chuba Hubbard and the country of Canada, it set a milestone that is worth remembering.
With his third and final carry against New Orleans, Hubbard surpassed former Saints running back Rueben Mayes for the most rushing yards produced by a Canadian-born player in the NFL.
Mayes, who rushed for 3,484 yards from 1986 to 1993, played at a time when Canadian imports were few and far between in the NFL. Hubbard, though, has collected 3,488 rushing yards as the league has seen an influx of talent from north of the border. The 2021 fourth-round pick has become a major face of that group, which also features Philadelphia Eagles safety Sydney Brown; his brother, Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown; and New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson.
While Hubbard’s new record is a footnote for most American NFL fans, his success with the Panthers can serve as an example for young Canadian athletes looking to make it to the biggest football league in the world.
Hubbard wasn’t aware he was close to the record when he broke it. But when he found out, Hubbard understood its potential importance to the next generation.
“I’m Canadian, born and raised, so to know that I was able to do that and lay an example for the kids coming up after me, and also just a testament to all the people that helped me get there — that all the hard work pays off — it was definitely a blessing to see that,” Hubbard told The Charlotte Observer on Wednesday.
Hubbard’s accomplishment gives the NFL Canada office an opportunity to raise his and the league’s profile in his home country. Gavin Kemp, the general manager of NFL Canada, thinks setting a new record is important in growing the game on the international stage.
“It’s great,” Kemp said. “It’s creating a whole new star system in Canada of household names. And so when one approaches a record, it’s big news. It’s important — it’s on us — to continue to push that story to kind of inspire kids and show them it is possible to grow up in Winnipeg or Quebec or Edmonton, and you can break some rushing records in the NFL, receiver records — it’s pretty cool.”
Setting an example for future Canadian athletes
Hubbard, 26, is a native of Edmonton, Alberta. He was a standout at Bev Facey Community High School in nearby Sherwood Park.
He then committed to Oklahoma State to play college ball. During his time at OSU, he amassed 3,459 rushing yards, 479 receiving yards and 36 total touchdowns. In 2019, Hubbard won the Jon Cornish Trophy, which is given annually to the top Canadian football player in the NCAA.
Despite that success, he had to wait until the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft to receive a phone call from the Panthers.
After a couple of years of serving as a backup to Christian McCaffrey and D’Onta Foreman, Hubbard had a breakout campaign in 2024. He became a leader in the locker room and consistent playmaker on the field.
The Panthers rewarded him in the middle of his standout campaign with a four-year, $33.2 million contract extension. He then finished the season with 1,195 rushing yards, 171 receiving yards and 11 total touchdowns.
“He’s an awesome young man,” running backs coach Bernie Parmalee said. “He’s serious about wanting to be good, and serious about playing the game of football.”
“When I first got here, I heard nothing but good things about him,” Parmalee continued. “But then seeing it and meeting him, and seeing how he moved day to day — he’s like the guy who was always the first in, the last to leave, and then it’s like, ‘OK, anyone can do it one day,’ but he was very consistent at what he did.”
Hubbard’s breakout run didn’t go unnoticed in Canada, either. He has since become one of the more notable names to receive publicity during the country’s NFL broadcasts.
“There’s a core group of players that have obviously really started to perform at marquee positions,” Kemp said. “And they feature prominently in our promotions of NFL Canada. We create our own advertising to run within games to help build their profiles. We use players like Chuba, work with players like Chuba and other athletes with our commercial partners. You’ll see them appear in commercials, you’ll see them appearing in social media countdowns and content with our corporate partners. … We definitely lean into some of those players like Chuba.”
Leading the way for others
Hubbard has dealt with his fair share of adversity since entering the league. His contract extension was earned out of hard work and dedication, as he battled various injuries and uneven playing time during his first three seasons in the NFL.
This season, Hubbard has battled through a calf injury and lost his starting job to Rico Dowdle, who is having his own breakout campaign. And yet, head coach Dave Canales still values Hubbard as a leader and cog in his offense.
“Chuba has meant a lot to this organization, certainly to the identity we want to build our team on,” Canales said before making the switch at running back earlier this month.
And Hubbard, to his credit, has remained team first. He is still one of the first to arrive at practice, and he’s among the last to leave. He’s also consistently been seen doing his pregame workouts roughly two hours before kickoffs on Sunday.
Those early pregame warmups help him settle in before greeting some familiar faces on the opposite sideline.
He’ll see fellow Canadian, Atlanta Falcons guard Matthew Bergeron, on the road Sunday. He just got done playing Saints defensive end Nathan Shepard, who is from Ajax, Ontario, last weekend. And he’ll see a few more of his countrymen during the final weeks of the season.
“Anytime we see each other, we definitely show love, cause we obviously know what it took to get here,” Hubbard said. “So, it’s just kind of a tip (of) your hat.”
Hubbard leads Chase Brown, the Bengals’ starting running back, by 1,899 career rushing yards as of Week 11.
There isn’t a rivalry there, and Hubbard is rooting for Brown, who is from London, Ontario, to catch up to him in the near future, even as the elder running back still has some more work to do.
“To be honest, I’m just going to keep working hard and just do my thing,” Hubbard said. “Obviously, Chase is super talented. I hope he breaks (the record), too. I know he probably will (laughs) in a couple of years as well. Just anytime you see guys, especially from Canada, have success, you root for them.”
Hubbard has never met or spoken with Mayes, whose record had stood for nearly 32 years. But Hubbard is proud that he can take the torch from the former Pro Bowl standout.
Still in his mid-20s, Hubbard — who said he was honored to break Mayes’ longtime mark — has plenty of football left in him. And hopefully, one day a young Canadian player that he has inspired can carry on the legacy that Hubbard has created for himself and Canadian running backs in the NFL.
This story was originally published November 13, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
