Is the Cincinnati Bengals’ Super Bowl run for a late gorilla? Sam Hubbard, defensive end of the Bengals, was on the Pardon My Take podcast and talked about the Super Bowl where his team will face the Los Angeles Rams in L.A. Pardon My Take co-host PFT Commenter asked Hubbard if the death of Harambe has made an impact on the Bengals.
“Sweet Prince, no, uh, I mean, that’s our guy,” Hubbard said. “That’s our hero. I think that’s known, kind of goes without saying. You know, we’re doing this for him.” Harambe died in 2016 at the Cincinnati Zoo. The death occurred when a zoo worker shot the 17-year-old lowland gorilla after he grabbed a dragged a three-year-old boy who climbed into a gorilla enclosure. The incident was recorded and went viral, leading to controversy as some thought killing the gorilla was uncalled for. Others blamed the parents for not watching the child.
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Big Cat, the other co-host of Pardon My Take, said he hoped that someone asked Harambe at Media Day. Hubbard responded: “I look forward after every game, is I don’t know if it’s Memes or whoever puts up the “Harambe looking over the stadium.” Makes my day every time.”
Hubbard, 26, was selected by the Bengals in the third round of the NFL Draft in 2018. Before the 2021 season, Hubbard signed a four-year, $40 million contract extension with the Bengals, which then led to one of the best seasons of his career, posting 62 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. He’s also having a strong postseason, tallying 14 tackles, three tackles for loss and three sacks in three games.
In December, Hubbard was nominated for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, which is considered the most prestigious award in the league. “It means everything to me,” Hubbard said per, the Bengals’ official website. “A lot of people aren’t fortunate enough to be drafted by their hometown team where they grew up, and where they have all their roots and all their family and friends. To be able to make an impact in Cincinnati is a special opportunity that I want to make the most of.”
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