CHARLOTTE — Chuba Hubbard came here at a time of transition for the Panthers.

Drafted as a backup to Christian McCaffrey, he eventually watched his mentor leave. There were others who followed McCaffrey out the door.

Thursday, the Panthers took another step in re-establishing things here, rewarding Hubbard with a four-year contract extension, which will keep him here through the 2028 season. And as part of a busy offseason that began with extending defensive tackle Derrick Brown, a lot of free agents, and a draft class that continues to produce, his deal became the latest symbol for what the Panthers want to become.

"I mean, it definitely lifts a burden off me a little bit," Hubbard said in reaction to his new deal. "I've always wanted to take care of my family for life and for my mom and my sister and everybody in a good spot and to be able to do that and know that your hard work pays off it definitely takes some of that stress off you.

"But at the end of the day, I want to be great. I want to be a Panther for life, and I want to change the culture here and win games. So still got a lot of work to do."

That work is what has defined Hubbard since he arrived here in the 2021 draft and has only accelerated since then. Being behind a star like McCaffrey, getting few chances, then seeing coaches come and go and other players come in at his position never changed his approach.

The guy who has the closest view of it is tight end Tommy Tremble, who was drafted just before him that year and has been by his side practically every day since. They're the ones on the Jugs machine after every practice, and Tremble joked that they've caught a ball for every dollar Hubbard got paid Thursday. But he's also seen the harder parts, the frustration, the times when some doubted whether Hubbard was good enough for a roster spot, much less becoming a cornerstone. But from his days as a rotational back in 2022 to becoming the guy last season when things weren't going well, Tremble said he saw the determination in his friend's eyes.

"I think towards the end of last year, showing up every day in and out, regardless of how he was perceived as a player," Tremble said, when asked when he realized Hubbard was capable of being this level of player. "You know, a lot of people are like, cut him, he doesn't mean s---. And so I think he saw that, and he knew he could just do his best to be a guy and not let that affect him and work every day. And that built him into a leader; that gave him the characteristics of a leader is really going through that adversity because it's hard to become a leader if you don't know what adversity is to help others out of it.

"And so I think really having last year coming into this year, being outspoken, being hard working and doing everything he can. I think that really pulled it together to show that he's a guy that can change the culture."

Brady Christensen, also part of that 2021 draft class, said he's always been impressed with the way Hubbard has approached things but also recognized the arrow turning more sharply the last two years, especially this season, when he's fifth in the league in rushing.

"Yeah, he's the ultimate culture guy," Christensen said. "I mean, from Day 1, he's just, he grinds and he works, and he doesn't, you know, say a lot about his work. He leads by example, more than anything, and then his play on the field backs it up. You've got to have both to set that culture, and he does it.

"Early on, I mean, obviously, you don't know exactly how someone's career is going to change. But he has done the work from Day 1. He worked like Christian, he just followed him around and studied like him, he worked like him, he recovered like him. So just from seeing that, he knew he had the potential to be one of those guys."

Of course, even the guys who are just getting to know him recognize those traits. Right guard Robert Hunt, who arrived this offseason from a successful Miami program, said he immediately recognized that Hubbard was a tone-setter here.

"Just the way he worked, the way he goes about his business, the hours he puts in around here," Hunt said. "Just dedication to the game, the dedication to wanting to be good."

Then Hunt nodded, and bestowed upon his running back that simple marker of respect in the locker room: "He's a dude."

Of course, it was hard to tell his life changed Thursday. Hubbard said he woke up at 5:45 a.m. and said a prayer of thanks, but his tone was the same kind of even it usually is. That's to be expected.

"No matter how good or bad he's feeling, he does not change how he acts; he does not change how he approaches each day," Tremble said.

That's the reason the Panthers are comfortable investing in him, keeping him here through the 2028 season, and making him a part of the change they're trying to create around players such as him and Brown and others.

"I mean, obviously Derrick is an amazing talent, amazing guy, to be able to be a part of the future with him is great," Hubbard said. "I know we've got a lot of other guys on this roster who are also going to be a part of that future and are great guys as well. So the fact that they believe in me and they see me as a part of this thing, like I said, I'm blessed. . . .

"Words can't really even explain a lot of hard work. A lot of ups and downs, a lot of hard times. I mean, you guys have probably seen it firsthand. So all I can say is I'm blessed, I'm just thankful."