CHARLOTTE — All offseason, Chuba Hubbard and Jonathon Brooks have been attached at the hip. If you see videos of one of them working out in a park in Uptown, the other is right there. If you check out pictures of Brooks getting baptized earlier this week, Hubbard is just to the side, holding a camera like a proud dad. If you listen to one of them talk about their training leading into offseason workouts, the other's name will inevitably be mentioned.
"Chuba—don't let him hear this," chuckled Brooks, "but he's been a good, I call him big brother, because he's older and he's been in the league. He's been a good vet, a good role model, mentor for me. He really took me under his wing. He's pushed me to be my best every day this offseason."
Hubbard, one of the unquestioned leaders of the Carolina Panthers franchise, and Brooks, the exciting and promising young running back who back-to-back ACL tears have unfortunately hampered, make a likely pair. Of course, two teammates who play the same position would train together, right? Of course, they'd spend time together thanks to meetings, practices, and film study.
And on one hand, it's been that way since Brooks first arrived in the summer of 2024, the highest drafted running back in that year's draft class.
"Ever since JB came in, a big thing I told myself was, I want to be not just a great teammate, but also a great friend to him," explained Hubbard this week, as both running backs sat down to presumably preview the offseason, but ended up mostly discussing each other. "I see all the potential in him. He's a one-on-one player, also a one-on-one person.
"I saw what he had in him and the potential. And for me as a leader, as a competitor, obviously, I'm chasing greatness myself, but I want to see the people around me be great as well. So, I told JB, just stick with me, we'll work together, and you're going to be well off."
But over the past year, that relationship has gone well beyond football, giving Hubbard a chance to develop a new part of his leadership role and providing Brooks with an anchor during a tumultuous time.
"I mean, we hang out all the time, whether that's in a building, outside of the building," shared Brooks. "He's just a really good dude, and he also is really big in his faith. So, we push each other as far as that. We push each other in our faith and, as we work out this offseason."
Brooks, as mentioned, is coming off his second ACL tear in as many years. The Texas product experienced the emotional whiplash in November of 2024, finally back on the field for the first time since tearing his ACL in November of 2023 in college, only to suffer the same injury in his third game as a pro. Before he could find his footing again, it was gone.
"To be quite honest, I don't think any rep I had my rookie year was good. There's a lot I want to work on, and that was kind of the frustrating part, too. For the limited touches that I had, I knew what I had to do better," Brooks said.
"And the fact that I got hurt again, that's what I feel like at first angered me so much because I knew I had so much to show and to fix and to kind of—I don't have to prove anyone, just to prove myself."
So he took some time to sit in those emotions, let them happen, then got back to work. He learned from the first recovery and tweaked his approach, being more open-minded to rehab ideas, for starters, and never wasting a moment when he could be recovering.
"I'm being just more consistent with the stuff that I'm doing. I'm in the building longer. I'm doing a lot more treatment, I'm working with Chuba every day; he takes care of his body really well," he said of his process and teammate.
"He has a lot of great inputs about what I should and shouldn't do, and also just the training staff—listening to Denny (Kellington, the VP of player health and performance), listening to (return to performance athletic trainer) Harrison (Grube), and them. And then the weight room staff, like changing up my lifts was a big thing."
His surgeon has cleared Brooks to practice at 100 percent. There are still only so many ways one can simulate football without taking a hit, though.
"It's almost hard, but you have to simulate it as the best that you can," Brooks explained. "I mean, that sounds like a broad statement, but you just have to do a bunch of running back drills, a lot of reactionary stuff, and as I said, the training staff has a great plan for me."
His return will bolster a room that also added proven veteran AJ Dillon this offseason, along with Trevor Etienne heading into his second year. The distribution of snaps once the season arrives is something no one is thinking about now, other than how it might provide a reprieve.
"A lot of people don't realize it, but in this league, it takes one to two or three backs," explained Brooks, "and whatever it is this season, I'm here to back (Chuba) up. I'm here to be there for him. I'm here to be here for the others in the room as well. It's the same as they'll do for me."
More than anything, though, he's been leaning on Hubbard.
"I think he's in a really good spot, a great spot if that," bragged Hubbard of his counterpart. "I think throughout this process, there's going to be highs and lows, but throughout this whole offseason, I think he's just progressed in the right direction and a substantial amount.
"So just to see him build his confidence, kind of get back to himself on the field and getting closer to who he knows he could be and even surpass that, it's been cool to just be a part of, push him and then have him push me too."
That faith and belief have helped provide Brooks with motivation on the days when there was little else. Now, it's driving them both towards a new season with bigger possibilities.
"It meant a lot and knowing that he still has faith in me, just because we're close enough to where you can have that conversation with your brother," said Brooks. "And, just going to the offseason, it sticks in my head because I know, not only do I want to be good for myself, but I want to be good for the team.
"And with Chuba being a leader on this team and telling me that, I'm just ready to work alongside him because I know what he can do, and I'm ready to see what we can do together."
View photos of the Panthers' voluntary offseason workouts on Tuesday, April 28th.
Kenny Pickett of the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Robert Hunt of the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Saahdiq Charles and Damien Lewis of the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Chuba Hubbard of the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Tommy Tremble of the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Stone Forsythe and Taylor Moton of the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Jaycee Horn and Robert Rochellof the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Mike Reidof the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Trevor Etienne participates in voluntary workouts Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Robert Rochellof the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Feleipe Franks of the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Tetairoa McMillan participates in voluntary workouts Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Ja'Tyre Carter of the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Stone Forsythe, Taylor Moton, Ja'Tyre Carter and Chandler Zavala of the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Tyrek Funderburkof the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Tre'von Moehrigof the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Luke Fortner of the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Lathan Ransomof the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Sam Welch and Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Chuba Hubbard of the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Will Grier participates in voluntary workouts Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Maema Njonmetaof the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Jonathon Brooks of the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
AJ Dillon of the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Feleipe Franks of the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Kenny Pickett of the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Kenny Pickett of the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Maema Njonmetaof the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Jonathon Brooks participates in voluntary workouts Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
John Metchie III of the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
John Metchie III participates in voluntary workouts Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Jonathon Brooks of the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Tre Tyus of the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Mitchell Evans of the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Ja'Tavion Sanders and Mitchell Evans of the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Saahdiq Charles of the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Robert Rochell participates in voluntary workouts Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Chuba Hubbard of the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Kenny Pickett of the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Taylor Moton and Robert Hunt of the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Jimmy Horn Jr. of the Carolina Panthers participate in voluntary workouts on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
