As The Dean with most Bengals games played on the roster, left end Sam Hubbard returns to the scene of one of his greatest moments and one of his team's biggest days when they travel to Kansas City for Sunday's game (4:25 p.m.-Cincinnati's Local 12) against the two-time Super Bowl champion Chiefs.

If Joe Burow is the face of the franchise, then Hubbard, with his chiseled looks, 9-5 Cincinnati native reliability and Mount Rushmore playoff heroics, must be the caretaker. After one of his impeccable offseason regimens brought him back from last year's post-season reconstructive ankle surgery, Hubbard hit a blip when he tweaked a knee and missed most of training camp.

For one of his weekly conversations, Bengals.com senior writer Geoff Hobson tracked down The Cincinnati Kid Wednesday during lunch as Hubbard hopped in and out of the hot and cold tubs. They talked about the moment, the evolution of his NFL career on and off the field, knocking off rust as Sunday's game approaches and why the K.C. sacks are his favorite moment.

The Conversation

GH: I saw you stop by left tackle Orlando Brown Jr.’s locker at lunch and talk some serious ball.

SH: We're just talking offensive line, defensive line. He's obviously got some experience in that (Kansas City) building. Any time Orlando is offering up some knowledge with all his years, I'll take it because he's a student of the game in every facet.

GH: How do you beat Patrick Mahomes?

SH: It's got to be a coordinated effort. First of all, you've got to stop the run. I don't want to talk too much scheme. We've got to keep him in the pocket. We have to make plays on the ball. We have to control the turnover margin. On offense, we have to make fewer mistakes than them. Be good in every facet. There's no room for mistakes because it's going to come down to the fourth quarter like it always does.

GH: Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo is talking about how important the red zone is against them. You put on a clinic in the 2021 AFC Championship Game where you had back-to-back sacks on the last two snaps of regulation at the Bengals 4 and 9 to force a field goal and overtime. Up until your "Rumble in the Jungle," the next year with the 98-yard fumble return, the plays in K.C. had to be the greatest defensive sequence in Bengals playoff history.

SH: In the history of the Bengals?

GH: Well, OK, you probably put the Rumble No. 1 and Germaine Pratt’s interception against the Raiders No. 2. Then the back-to-back sacks are No. 3.

SH: I'll take three. I'll take three.

GH: Those sacks had to be a great personal moment. Arguably it prevented a Chiefs' Threepeat.

SH: That was probably my favorite more so than "The Rumble," if I'll be honest. Because it took us to the Super Bowl.

GH: Was that scheme or just will?

SH: Great scheme by Lou. I don't want to talk too much, but we were dropping eight. (Mahomes) scrambles around to find something, but it's more so just in the red zone he gets creative and likes to get whatever it takes to get points. What we have to do in the red zone is keep them out of the end zone and keep them to three. And that's where we bow up and play great team defense, because that's all red-zone defense is.

GH: You dropped both times to show your versatility. How have you gotten better as a player during your seven seasons?

SH: It's been an evolution, for sure. I think that my first couple of years, I kind of got on the field in whatever role I could. I was playing inside on third down, and then transitioning to a full-time starter, still being inside, and then, stuff happens. And I ended up playing end on third down as a rusher. Guys get hurt. Guys leave.

The Super Bowl year the plan was for me to be a D-Tackle on third down and Joseph (Ossai) outside, but Joseph ended up getting hurt, and for the next three years I ended up being an edge rusher and I think that I was improving consistently, really, with (defensive line coach Marion) Hobby. Hindered a bit by the injury last year. My speed and agility. I definitely want to get back to that level of play and at the end of the day, whatever the team needs. Inside, outside, run, pass, drop, rush, I really don't care. I just want to win games and whatever they ask me to do, I want to do it the best I can. That's kind of what I've always been about.

GH: Dean of the Bengals. Most Bengals games played on the roster. What do you think about when you hear that?

SH: I know that it's got Geoff Hobson written all over it.

GH: Now I'm following you from the cold tub to the hot tub.

SH: I just took a page from the old Mayor, Teddy K's routine. Ted Karras’ pre-practice routine.

GH: Not having a training camp because of a knee issue. Do you think that's kind of the reason for the …

SH: Slow start? I just felt rusty week one. Not having any training camp reps is really hard, but it's like the first couple days of camp. You get better. I feel like all the things that I was doing out there were fixable, and I can't wait to improve on those and get better week by week. And coming off of surgery with no training camp, jumping in at 50 plays was something that was a challenge I overcame. I'm going to keep grinding and continue to get better with my great coaches and teammates.

GH: What was rusty?

SH: Just technique. Technique, pass rush, everything, beating blocks, not seeing blocks, hand placement, pass rush plan, moves. Everything was rusty because you can plan it out and talk it out, but you've got to physically do it. Those reps are so important and there's no replacement for them.

GH: Is that a one-week thing or longer?

SH: I don't know. I'm doing everything in my power.

GH: How did you think the defense played overall in the opener?

SH: I thought we need to be more physical, more sound in tackling, better in our communication. Not up to our standard.

GH: You guys really stressed tackling and communication after last season.

SH: I feel like after that game, just walk around the building, meetings, and everything, and everyone's got a different look in their eye. They're more intense. Maybe it was a wake-up call. Call it whatever you want. But sometimes you need that. Everybody here is focused on being part of the solution, not pointing out who are the problems. We're laser-focused on improving the things we need to improve.

GH: Speaking of the mayor, your foundation seems to have become more active and diverse in recent years.

SH: The foundation has been an evolution just like my career. It's grown year-to-year to things, from the outset, I never foresaw becoming. Just from the support and success we've had as a team and community. It started out as a kids camp and has grown into a 501c3 non-profit entity called The Sam Hubbard Foundation.

Different organizations like Crayons to Computers approached me with an idea and we've taken a run with it. Hubbard's Cupboards is kind of becoming our signature program where all of our attention is going to. We started out with a whole bunch of different things, and now we're kind of laser-focused on our big program.

GH: Why has Hubbard's Cupboards come to the forefront and become a passion?

SH: I think it's just a really successful program. It's a physical location within schools that kids can go to at any time to get hygiene items, healthy snacks or school supplies whenever they need it throughout the day. No questions asked.

There's a real need on-site in schools for kids that we're fulfilling, and the funding and support has allowed us to grow. We're in 21 schools right now, and our goal is to be in 70 local schools by 2030, and we're already pretty much sold out with sponsors for the next several years. It's something we're building for the long-term future. I plan to be here even after my playing days are over and I plan on the program to continue running like a well-oiled machine for the next 30 years. That's how we're setting things up.

Last year it delivered almost $200,000 in product to students in need during the school day. It's a partnership between us and a very well-established nonprofit in our community, Crayons to Computers.

GH: Huge game coming up, obviously. Your 92nd as a Bengal. But how big?

SH: Every game is big. We're 0-1. We want to get to 1-1. Next week we'll want to get to 2-1. Every week is important. Every week matters. Anybody can beat anybody any Sunday. That's life in this league. I've been in it long enough to know that.