American Football
Travis Hunter’s season-ending injury halts breakout trend, leaving the Jaguars searching for answers
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The Jacksonville Jaguars’ promising season just became much harder. Two-way star Travis Hunter, who tore his LCL in practice, has undergone season-ending knee surgery, cutting short what had been an increasingly promising rookie season.
It’s a major blow for a player who was starting to gather steam. Hunter, the second overall pick in the 2025 Draft, was trying to do something few have ever tried and even fewer mastered - contributing on both sides of the ball.
His best outing came in his last. In Week 7, in London, Hunter posted eight catches for 101 yards and his first career touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams. A few days later, a non-contact injury in practice brought his season to a sudden end.
Here, I evaluate the impact on the Jaguars and where Hunter and Jacksonville go from here.
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The impact on the Jaguars
There’s no sugarcoating the significance of the loss for Jacksonville.
On offense, Hunter had begun to build chemistry with quarterback Trevor Lawrence, providing the gunslinger with a dynamic option with the speed to stretch the field.
On defense, his athleticism and versatility gave coordinator Anthony Campanile a potential shutdown corner.
Now, the Jaguars have to pivot. Brian Thomas Jr., Parker Washington, Dyami Brown, and newcomer Jakobi Meyers - acquired ahead of the trade deadline - will need to absorb a larger share of the targets.
But Thomas has struggled mightily with drops and is dealing with a nagging ankle injury that forced him to miss Week 10, while Brown and Meyers lack the game-breaking talent of Hunter.
The team has designated tight end Brenton Strange to return from IR this week, and he can certainly help as a pass-catcher after his strong start to the year, but again, he, too, is not on Hunter's level.
Defensively, Hunter's absence will further expose an already struggling cornerback group.
Outside corner Montaric Brown and slot DB Jourdan Lewis can hold their own, but the jury is out on Jarrian Jones. Greg Newsome, thrust into action in the last two games, has been extremely poor, allowing a QB rating of 123.5 in coverage.
Hunter’s absence doesn’t sink the Jaguars, but it strips away a layer of creativity from the offense and reveals how thin they are in the secondary.
With that said, there’s still plenty to play for. At 5-4, Jacksonville has already topped last season’s win total and remains right in the mix for an AFC playoff spot.
But the challenge facing head coach Liam Coen is as clear as it is challenging. Steady the ship after their fourth-quarter collapse against Houston, and find the right combination of players to cover the void Hunter leaves behind.
What’s next for Hunter
The good news is that, per NFL insider Ian Rapoport, there was no additional damage besides the LCL. The timeline for recovery is roughly six months, putting Hunter on track to return for offseason workouts and enter the 2026 season at full strength.
His rookie campaign ends earlier than anyone hoped, but the flashes were there, and he'll continue to earn mental reps as he cheers his teammates on from the sidelines.
The two-way experiment isn’t over. It’s just paused. And when Hunter’s back, the Jaguars will be ready to pick up right where they left off.
