Travis Hunter, who joined the Jacksonville Jaguars with hopes of becoming a rare two-way player in the NFL, suffered his first injury during the preseason. This development has prompted concern from Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinee Rod Woodson regarding Hunter’s ability to handle such a dual role at the professional level.
Woodson, who had a notable career primarily with the Pittsburgh Steelers, shared his perspective about Hunter’s usage compared to what he experienced in college with the Colorado Buffaloes. “He’s not gonna play like he did at Colorado,” Woodson told USA Today. “Sure, they’ll give him some chances, but 90 snaps a game on offense and defense for 17 weeks? That’s a tough ask. If anyone can do it, it’s him, but it’s tough on your body.”
During his time at Colorado in 2024 under coach Deion Sanders, Hunter took an unprecedented number of snaps—1,356 in total—with nearly equal contributions on both offense and defense. He recorded 92 receptions for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns as a receiver, and contributed four interceptions along with 11 pass breakups as a defender. His high level of involvement made him a Heisman finalist and led to his selection as a first-round pick by the Jaguars.
However, history suggests that this level of usage is unlikely in the NFL. Even Deion Sanders himself only occasionally played offensive snaps during his professional career despite being known for playing both ways.
In Jacksonville’s preseason opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Aug. 10, Hunter saw limited action: just 18 snaps divided between offense and defense. During training camp sessions, he continued splitting time nearly evenly between wide receiver and cornerback but participated in over 42 percent of team snaps—a significant reduction from what he managed in college.
Hunter was held out of a subsequent preseason game against the New Orleans Saints after sustaining what coaches described as a minor upper-body injury. Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said this move was precautionary and noted that Hunter remained “day-to-day” and likely would have played had it been a regular-season game.
According to reports, Hunter still took part in stretching routines, individual drills and walkthroughs at practice while being kept out of full-speed activities to avoid aggravating his injury.
“There are no concerns for him Week 1, and yes, he will be the two-way star they intend him to be,” Cameron Wolfe reported regarding Hunter’s status under Coen.
The approach taken by Jacksonville appears to reflect broader league trends around player health and workload management for those attempting two-way roles.
