Chuba Hubbard and the Panthers' tight ends have become perfect complements

Hubbard has found a lot of success this season thanks in part to the Panthers' tight ends. But it works both ways, as the running back has opened things up for the group as well, giving the unit some of its best production in years. They've become the yin to the other's yang, lifting the team's offense

Nov 13, 2026 at 08:31 AM

Kassidy Hill

Running back Chuba Hubbard, tight end Tommy Tremble #82 and tight end Mitchell Evans are seen during a game against the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday, Oct 18, 2026 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA.

CHARLOTTE — Chuba Hubbard couldn't help but laugh. He understood the question, even the sentiment behind it, but it was so far from his worldview on the matter.

Following the Panthers' Week 9 game against the Denver Broncos, the franchise's leading rusher, Jonathan Stewart, suggested one reason the Carolina Panthers' tight end unit has flourished in recent weeks is, in part, Hubbard's play.

"Shoot, they do it for me," chuckled Hubbard on Thursday. "I'm laughing because they do it for me. I'm obviously fortunate to have a great O-line, great tight ends, and receivers who block their asses off for me every play, and obviously I appreciate that. When I get the chance to block, I'll try to do my best for them as well.

"But that's all them. That's all them."

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OK, so let's call it a mutually advantageous relationship. Actually, Mitchell Evans has a better term.

"Chuba's running pretty well right now, which then in turn makes us look good because as a room we're blocking pretty d—- well, which then helps Chuba," said Evans. "So I think like, it's a, a push-pull kind of thing, yin-yang."

Because while the tight ends have been crucial to Hubbard's rushing attack this season, the running back is opening things up for the unit in a way that is leading them to their most productive season as a room in years.

"Chuba being able to play the way he is this year, he's playing at an elite level consistently with a lot of touches, with a lot of workload on him, but him being able to make plays when we're in those 12 and 13 personnel, people have to respect the run," bragged tight end Tommy Tremble of his friend.

"If he wasn't playing as good as he has been, people wouldn't respect our run game. And when you respect our run game, it opens up the pass game for us. And so Chuba really being able to play at such a high level opens it up so much for me, Darren Waller, Mitch, all of the guys in the tight end room."

Tight end Tommy Tremble #82 and running back Chuba Hubbard #30 are seen during a game against the Green Bay Packers Thursday, Oct 29, 2026 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WI.

Hubbard has already met his entire 2025 touch count with 134 carries, and he's surpassed his rushing total with 619 yards and five rushing touchdowns. He's also the Panthers' fifth-leading receiver, with 26 catches for 168 yards and two more scores through the air.

The Panthers employ 13-personnel (one running back, three tight ends, and one wide receiver) at the 10th-highest rate in the league, 11.4 percent of the time. They've also run the 10th most plays overall out of the grouping, 60 times through eight games. This is in part to help an offensive line that began the season without its starting tackles and emphasized protecting quarterback Bryce Young.

It also opens up the run game for Hubbard, who is averaging a career high on runs outside the tackles.

Tight end Darren Waller and running back Chuba Hubbard #30 are seen during the Carolina Panthers’ Sunday Night Football game against the Detroit Lions on game on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.

The additional payoff is that it now puts three proven pass-catching tight ends on the field at a high rate.

"A lot of our pass game is built off of keepers and run action. So it's like when (Chuba) gets going, there's a lot of guys that catch passes that benefit off of that because you pair the runs and set up the runs and passes to look like the runs, so he was eating, then we then we get to eat," said Waller.

"And then pass game off of those looks, and then it's like if we can get some quick game and then get some pass things going on, then they may go to split-second more and then so you kind of just help each other out within that whole chess match."

And Carolina wins that chess match at a high rate. The club averages 5.1 yards per play out of 13 personnel, the eighth-highest mark in the league.

"The first play of the second half (against Denver), we do like the deep over," recalled Waller. "Somebody on the D-line or linebackers was like, '88 in the game. It's a pass.' You can call s—- out, but it's like then you got to do something. You got to stop it.

"So, yeah, 13, it makes it difficult (for the defense) when you can be effective in those personnel groups, and they got to be like, 'OK, what do we want to do?'"

Tight end Darren Waller, tight end Tommy Tremble and quarterback Bryce Young are seen during a game against the Denver Broncos Sunday, Nov 8, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.

The result? A year for Hubbard that's on pace to be his career-best, a tight-end unit that has accounted for 28 percent of the receiving product this season, and 44 percent of the receiving touchdowns, and a Panthers' offense that is creating a ripple which is leading to waves.

"We're definitely always in communication with how we're seeing things, in-game adjustments," said Evans. "And it's just working."

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Outside Linebacker Jaelan Phillips is seen during the Carolina Panthers practice on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026 at the Atrium Health Training Facility in Charlotte, NC.