This NFL star is a former Canadian 100m champion – Canadian Running Magazine

Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard has been making waves this NFL season, turning heads with his explosive speed and breakout performances. Hubbard currently ranks seventh among NFL running backs in rushing yards, plus sits 11th with a career-high eight touchdowns. The 25-year-old’s ability to burst through defences and accelerate in just a few steps is no coincidence—it’s a skill he honed during his track and field career for Canada.

In 2015, at just 16, Hubbard represented Canada in the 100m at the World Youth Championships (now recognized as U20) in Cali, Colombia. There, he clocked a personal best of 10.55 seconds in the 100m heats and narrowly missed out on a medal in the final, finishing fifth. The race was won by Japan’s Abdul Hakim Sani Brown, who has since become a two-time Olympian and reached the final of the men’s 100m at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest. Ironically, Sani Brown now trains alongside Canada’s most decorated Olympic track and field athlete Andre De Grasse under coach Rana Reider at Tumbleweed Track Club in Florida.

The following year, Hubbard captured the U20 men’s 100m title at the 2016 Canadian Track and Field Championships in his hometown of Edmonton. During his time at Bev Facey High School in Edmonton’s Sherwood Park neighbourhood, he set personal bests of 10.55 seconds for 100m and 21.85 seconds for 200m, winning several provincial titles.

In 2016, Hubbard’s athletic focus shifted when he signed a commitment letter to play football at Oklahoma State University. Hanging up his track spikes, he dedicated himself fully to football and hasn’t raced competitively since.

“Track and field was my first sport and my first love,” Hubbard told Canadian Running. “It was always the sport I thought I’d have a future in, until I went to university.”

After a standout collegiate football career, Hubbard entered the NFL, being drafted by the Carolina Panthers in 2021. This season, Hubbard has surpassed 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in his NFL career. He credits his track background for some of his on-field success. “Track gave me a lot of power and speed,” Hubbard reveals. “In football, a lot comes down to your first few steps. They are technical and very important, because you have to read what the defence and blocks are giving you to get to certain landmarks on the field.”

With an average of 16 carries per game and 4.6 yards per carry this season, Hubbard’s explosiveness has been a key factor in his career-high numbers. Hubbard says running has been a part of his life since age six, and his passion for it still shines.

Despite the Panthers’ struggles, with a disappointing 3-11 record, Hubbard’s breakout year has been a bright spot for the team’s future as Panthers fans look ahead to the 2025-2026 season.