Kevin Huber's hometown hero arc is complete.
The Cincinnati native and longtime Bengals punter is calling it a career after 14 NFL seasons, announcing his retirement Friday.
"April 26, 2009, I received a call that would forever change my life," Huber wrote on Twitter. "From just a Cincinnati kid watching my Bengals at Riverfront Stadium to being drafted as their punter is something dreams are made of. The past 14 years have been beyond my imagination and I am forever grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of the Bengals organization.
"I may be signing off as No. 10, but you better believe I'll be in the jungle chanting 'Who Dey' alongside you all."
Huber was born in Cincinnati, attended Archbishop McNicholas High School, graduated and moved onto the University of Cincinnati, and learned he'd launch his NFL career in the only city he'd ever known when the Bengals made him the 142nd overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.
Fortunately for Huber, he never had to leave.
The two-time All-American punter stepped into his new job with the Bengals and grew into a remarkably consistent boot, averaging 40.2 net yards per punt and dropping 34.2% of his punts inside the opposing 20 for his career. He earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2014, and it wasn't until the 2022 season that he began to show signs that his time in the NFL might be nearing an end.
It's only fitting another Cincinnati kid -- La Salle High School and Ohio State product Drue Chrisman -- ended up being Huber's replacement.
Huber's decision to stick around on Cincinnati's practice squad following his late 2022 release said everything about his commitment to the club, the only team he's ever cared about. He leaves pro football as Cincinnati's all-time leading punter, and as a lifelong Bengal.
