Bengals DE shares his hilarious motivation heading into Super Bowl

Some want to win the Super Bowl for the glory. Others want to win it for the fame. But Sam Hubbard just wants to win it for the memes.

Speaking this week on Barstool Sports’ “Pardon My Take,” the Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Hubbard said the team wants to win it all to honor Harambe, the gorilla who was shot and killed at a Cincinnati zoo in 2016.

“Sweet Prince, no, uh, I mean, that’s our guy,” said Hubbard of Harambe. “That’s our hero. I think that’s known, kind of goes without saying. You know, we’re doing this for him.”

Granted, Hubbard’s comments were a bit humorous and tongue-in-cheek. But the issue probably hits close to home for him as a Cincinnati native who attended Ohio State and has played his entire NFL career with the Bengals.

Harambe, who was shot after a young boy fell into the gorilla enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, became one of the most popular Internet memes after his death. Songs were written and merchandise was created in his honor, as “Do It For Harambe” grew into one of social media’s favorite rallying cries. Harambe even got write-in votes for president in 2016 and received tributes from some of the biggest sports stars in the world.

The Bengals are looking for their first Super Bowl win in franchise history as well as the first major sports championship for the city of Cincinnati since 1990. But Hubbard will definitely be playing for something greater — to honor the beloved memory of dearest Harambe.

Photo: Jan 15, 2022; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard (94) celebrates following the win in the AFC Wild Card playoff football game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports