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Greater Cincinnati Sportsperson of the Year
We have named a Greater Cincinnati Sportsperson of the Year each year since 2014. The criteria for the award is based on on-field performance, off-field actions, community impact and involvement. Candidates range from players, coaches, managers, administrators and individuals at the high school, college pro level and beyond.
Each year I accept nominations from listeners. A committee made up of longtime Cincinnati residents involved on many different levels of Cincinnati sports over the years, reviews and discusses the candidates and makes the final decision. I don't have a say in the selection.
Our 2022 Greater Cincinnati Sportsperson of the Year is Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard
From the committee:
In his fifth NFL season, Sam Hubbard continues to be a symbol of excellence for the Bengals and the city Cincinnati, making plays on the field and making an impact in his community.
The Moeller High School and Ohio State product was voted a captain by his teammates prior to the 2022 season. He’s respected for his reliability, versatility, consistency and unselfishness.
After watching and learning from older players early in his career, Hubbard has become an example setter and leader for younger players. While he's never been the most vocal person, Hubbard’s voice has grown in impact.
On the field, the defensive end has produced 6.5 sacks this season, along with 11 tackles for loss and a forced fumble, despite missing the last couple of games with injury. He’s expanded his role from a back-up/special teamer early in his career to a core piece of the defense and the organization. He’s a tag-team partner with fellow defensive end Trey Hendrickson to form one of the NFL’s better edge rushing duo’s.
For the second consecutive year, he has been named the Bengals' nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.
He told Bengals.com: "As an NFL player, I think your on-field performance is just a small part of what your legacy will be when it's all said and done. What you do for others, how you treat the people around you, and the lasting impact you leave on your community are just as important as wins and losses."
He created the Sam Hubbard Foundation with a goal of bringing access to food, education and a healthy lifestyle for all Cincinnatians. He’s hosted several annual events each year, including:
*Hubbard's Fowling Tournament that matched current and former Bengals players with fans and raised over $47,000.
*Hubbard's Shop with a Pro Night
*Sam's Thanksgiving Food Drive
*The Sam Hubbard Youth Football Camp.
He also partnered with local non-profit Crayons to Computers on two initiatives to benefit Cincinnati-area students:
*A backpack drive in which he distributed over 650 tailored backpacks to every student in the Bellevue school district.
*Hubbard's Cupboards: Teams with Kroger to launch a project that supports nutritional and educational needs for students in the Mt. Healthy school system. Hubbard's Cupboards provides core school supplies as well as healthy snacks and hygiene products.
Still just 27-year old, Hubbard figures to have many more years of production on the field and it feels like his community footprint will only continue to grow.
Congratulations to Sam Hubbard, our 2022 Greater Cincinnati Sportsperson of the Year.
Previous winners:
2014: Teddy Kremer
2015: Lauren Hill
2016: Jeff Berding
2017: Super Bubz and Joey Votto
2018: FC Cincinnati
2019: Rose Lavelle
2020: Joe Burrow
2021: Luke Fickell
2022: Sam Hubbard