Canadian running back Chuba Hubbard capped arguably the best performance of his career with a historic game-winning touchdown, as the Carolina Panthers upset the Arizona Cardinals in an overtime thriller.
The native of Sherwood Park, Alta. got the ball on first-and-10 with 3:24 remaining in the extra frame and cut back off the right side, powering through what looked to be a certain tackle from cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting and safety Jalen Thompson at the line of scrimmage. There was no other defender between him and the goal line, allowing him to walk in a 21-yard touchdown and secure the 36-30 victory.
Chuba called game
: Fox@Hubbard_RMN | #ProBowlVote pic.twitter.com/W4EOGtZDF2
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) December 22, 2024
Hubbard finished the game with 25 carries for 152 yards and two touchdowns, adding four catches for 13 yards through the air. By icing the game in overtime, he atoned for a costly lost fumble committed three weeks ago against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers which effectively lost Carolina the game in sudden death.
The 25-year-old finished one yard shy of his career-high for rushing yards, set earlier this year in another overtime win against the New York Giants. However, he scored multiple touchdowns for just the third time in his career, also spinning into the end zone to open the scoring in the first quarter.
They call this move the “Sherwood Park Shuffle”
Chuba Hubbard (@Hubbard_RMN) gets in for his ninth rushing touchdown of the year.#NFL #Panthers #KeepPounding
pic.twitter.com/jxSbPQKA5a
— 3DownNation (@3DownNation) December 22, 2024
Hubbard recently became the second Canadian player in NFL history to rush for over a thousand yards in a single season. Through 15 games, he has carried the ball 250 times for 1,195 yards and 10 touchdowns, while catching 43 passes for 171 yards and another score.
With his overtime winner, the six-foot-one, 210-pound back has officially tied the record for most total touchdowns by a Canadian at 11, matching the marks set by receivers Nate Burleson in 2007 and Chase Claypool in 2021. With two games remaining, he needs just 159 more yards to surpass the single-season rushing record by a Canadian set by Rueben Mayes of North Battleford, Sask. in 1986.
The Panthers (4-11) will return to action when they visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6) on Sunday, December 28.
The post Carolina Panthers’ RB Chuba Hubbard ties Canadian NFL touchdown record with overtime winner appeared first on 3DownNation.