Through four games in 2025, the Carolina Panthers are 1-3. The team is in a 42-13 defeat to the New England Patriots in Week 4. In week 5, the Panthers are at home and face the Miami Dolphins.
In this Sunday’s game, Carolina will be playing without starting RB Chuba Hubbard. The 26-year-old was ruled out due to an injury to a calf. Panthers backup Rico Dowdle will earn week 5 and Miami start. Chuba Hubbard was restricted in practice on Wednesday and Thursday before being ruled out on Friday afternoon.
Carolina will be without RB Chuba Hubbard in week 5
The Panthers officially ruled out RB Chuba Hubbard in Sunday’s match vs. Dolphin due to a calf injury.
-Adam Scha After (@adamscha after) October 3, 2025
On the fourth pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Panthers chose Tuba Hubbard from Oklahoma. The 2025 season will be his fifth year with the Panthers. Hubbard appeared in 68 games and started with 43. He was a full-time starter for each of the past two seasons. Last November, Carolina signed a three-year, $33.2 million extension to Tuba Hubbard. It came with a $15 million Guarenteed. During the 2024 campaign, Hubbard was in a hurry with 1,195 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. He added 43 catches and one touchdown for 171 yards.
Through four games in 2025, Chuba Habad has gotten off to a late start for the Panthers. In 2024, he averaged a career of 79.7 yards per game. That number fell to 54.3 yards per game in 2025. In the four starts of this season, Hubbard carried the ball 53 times for 217 yards. On Friday, October 3rd, NFL insider Adam Schefter reported that Chuba Hubbard would not play in week 5. He is dealing with a calf injury.
#panthers RB Chuba Hubbard, who has been dealing with calf injuries for the past few weeks and has not practiced this week, is expected to miss Sunday’s game. #dolphinswith me @mihekharafolo. Rico Dowdle is a team backup. pic.twitter.com/alra3uqaqv
– Ian Rapoport (@rapsheet) October 3, 2025
Chuba Hubbard is out in week 5, but Panthers backs up Rico Dowdle. He signed a one-year, $3 million contract with Carolina. If he reaches the incentive, his deal is worth $6.5 million. The 27-year-old RB is his fifth professional season. Dowdle was the starting round of the Dallas Cowboys in 2024. He played 16 of his 17 games and started 15 times. The former undrafted player rushed to a career-high 1,079 rushing yards.
Along with Rico Dowdle, the Panthers also have Georgia rookie RB Trevor Etienne. He is the younger brother of Jaguars RB Travis Etienne. The former Georgia Bulldog was selected in the fourth round of Carolina. Etienne has eight carrys for 37 yards in 2025. He is primarily used as a return specialist for the Panthers. Trevor Etienne was able to see more play time in week 5 while Chuba Hubbard was out.
