Wyatt Hubert details unorthodox journey to Chiefs rookie minicamp
Though most of the participants in the Kansas City Chiefs rookie minicamp were first-year players, veteran tryout Wyatt Hubert was one of the few outliers. His journey to the event started back in February when he announced his return to football after previously retiring in 2021 after spending a season with the Cincinnati Bengals following a seventh-round selection in 2021.
The former K-State wildcat and Topeka, Kansas native felt immense pride to wear the logo of his childhood team as he pursued an opportunity to play professional football again.
“Yeah, it’s crazy,” Hubert said. “You know wearing an Arrowhead on my chest is definitely special. It’s like wearing a Wildcat on my chest, too. So, it’s crazy. (I’m) definitely thankful to be here.”
Hubert told reporters about his decision to get back on the field during media availability on the last day of camp and made it clear that he wants to make the most of his athletic prime while he still can.
“Last season I was retired. I wasn’t playing football,” He explained. “I was working a regular job (and) living a regular life. And I worked probably five to six months. About the last two months I started to think back, it was really hard to watch football games just knowing my close friends that are on teams who are playing and me just watching a game kind of knowing that I could do that too.
“So, I definitely just thought about my decision. I definitely went back and forth with it a lot. It was a tough decision, but I decided this is such a short window in my life, why not take advantage of the opportunity and just give it my all.”
Though Hubert may be a long shot to make the Chiefs’ roster as rookie minicamp tryout, his enthusiasm for the game of football and desire to make it in one of the most competitive sports leagues in the world is admirable. He’s continued to put in the work despite working in medical sales while away from the game over the last season.
“I never stopped working out,” Hubert said. “I always – even though I wasn’t playing football I always treated myself like an athlete, in the weight room, with my diet, everything I did. I still took all that very seriously every single day. So, that definitely helped my transition back into football a lot.”
If he can continue to show he’s progress and want-to this offseason, Hubert may complete a comeback for the ages and find himself back in the saddle with a contract to play for an NFL team during the 2023 season.
