CHARLOTTE — For years, Chuba Hubbard and John Metchie III only knew of each other.
The two lived 33 hours apart across thousands of miles, in parts of a country vast enough that they led different lives in some senses. But in Canada, at least at the time, players with legitimate American football talent and a shot at the NFL were few and far between.
So the two existed on the periphery of each other's knowledge.
"We've known each other without knowing each other," joked Metchie this week, thinking back on his long and inevitable relationship with Hubbard. "We've known each other for a long time before actually."
Added Hubbard, "Metchie, he's a dog. Once I saw we signed him, I was excited. I was telling him, I probably known about him since I was 16 years old.
"When you're in Canada, there's only so many—there's a lot more now, but when I was coming up, there's only so many football players making it that far, so I knew about him as well as a bunch of other guys. So to be able to be on the same team and kind of share memories about each other that we knew of but didn't actually know each other, it's cool."
The running back grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, while Metchie was a resident of Brampton, Ontario, hardly around the corner from each other (think due north of Idaho, to Suburban Buffalo). Both came to the States to continue their football careers, Metchie in high school before going on to Alabama, and Hubbard when he enrolled at Oklahoma State.
Now, years after they first learned of each other, they're on the same team. Metchie was signed as a free agent wide receiver this spring. And being able to connect with a fellow countryman immediately made the whole transition smoother.
"So we've known about each other since high school, college, journey to the NFL, which is why I'm sure the relationship is seamless," said Metchie. "Not only have we kept tabs, but we've lived the same, unique journey in a field where it's very few and far between that have that specific journey.
"To leave your family in a different country is something you can relate to, and then adapting to a game that's an American game, so adapting to that and adjusting to that and then thriving in it as well."
Despite Hubbard having been in Charlotte for over five years now (this season will be his sixth) and establishing himself as a leader on this team, the addition of Metchie has given Hubbard a kinship that can only exist when two people share the specific journey Metchie mentioned.
"I've known who he was and what he's done and all these different things and heard great things, but now to meet him, it's been dope," expressed the running back. "We just went to dinner yesterday, and I was like, 'Damn, bro, finally got a Canadian that understands the stuff I'll be going through.'
"Just Canadian slang, going back home, the feelings and stuff like that."
The duo—both of whom won the Jon Cornish Trophy in college, an annual award given to the top Canadian player in the NCAA—now have backup when they push Panthers' director of culinary Tracie Hartman to host Canadian Thanksgiving and add more Canadian food to the menu.
"Now I've got to deal with both of them," smiled Hartman in a way that said she was going to be happy to do so.
"We might have to get some poutine in there and some other stuff," suggested Hubbard.
Metchie went a little more specific: "I'll probably go like Jamaican beef patty, some jerk chicken, I'll probably go a little Caribbean route. It's a big influence up there."
And at some point, Metchie plans to join Hubbard on a trip to Edmonton, where the wide receiver's brother, Royce Metchie, currently plays for the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League. Metchie has never been to Hubbard's hometown, thanks in part to the thousands of miles of distance between their hometowns.
But their home country is the same. And when you're away from home and family, that's the kind of connection that can't be manufactured with anyone else.
"It helps tremendously," mused Metchie. "As far as like comfort, a whole new environment, people you're comfortable with, people that help you get acclimated quicker.
"In this case, it's somebody that's a sense of home."
View photos of the Panthers' voluntary offseason workouts on Thursday, April 30th.
Claudin Cherelus is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 1 on Thursday, Apr. 30, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Ja'seem Reed is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 1 on Thursday, Apr. 30, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Mike Jackson is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 1 on Thursday, Apr. 30, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Trevor Etienne is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 1 on Thursday, Apr. 30, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Tre Tyus and Chuba Hubbard are seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 1 on Thursday, Apr. 30, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
David Moore is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 1 on Thursday, Apr. 30, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Tershawn Wharton is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 1 on Thursday, Apr. 30, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Will Grier, Kenny Pickett and Dan Chisena are seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 1 on Thursday, Apr. 30, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Corey Thornton is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 1 on Thursday, Apr. 30, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
AJ Dillon and Chuba Hubbard are seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 1 on Thursday, Apr. 30, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Feleipe Franks is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 1 on Thursday, Apr. 30, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Bryce Young is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 1 on Thursday, Apr. 30, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Tershawn Wharton is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 1 on Thursday, Apr. 30, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 1 on Thursday, Apr. 30, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Bobby Brown III is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 1 on Thursday, Apr. 30, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Trevis Gipson is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 1 on Thursday, Apr. 30, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Xavier Legette is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 1 on Thursday, Apr. 30, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Chuba Hubbard is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 1 on Thursday, Apr. 30, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Genevieve Humphrey is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 1 on Thursday, Apr. 30, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Princely Umanmielen is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 1 on Thursday, Apr. 30, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Ainias Smith is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 1 on Thursday, Apr. 30, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Jaelan Phillips is seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Thursday, Apr 30, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Patrick Jones II is seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Thursday, Apr 30, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Jaelan Phillips is seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Thursday, Apr 30, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Nick Scott and LaBryan Ray are seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Thursday, Apr 30, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Patrick Jones II and Thomas Incoom are seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Thursday, Apr 30, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Tershawn Wharton is seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Thursday, Apr 30, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Nic Scourton is seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Thursday, Apr 30, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Ainias Smith is seen during Carolina Panthers Voluntary Workouts Phase 1 on Thursday, Apr. 30, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.
Devin Lloyd is seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Thursday, Apr 30, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Claudin Cherelus is seen during Carolina Panthers voluntary workouts Thursday, Apr 30, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
