Jaguars' Travis Hunter Remains Misunderstood Despite Team's Success

Overreactions and misinformation about the second-year cornerback/wide receiver persist despite the Jaguars' 13-4 season and AFC South title.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 11:58am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A cubist-style painting depicting a football player in motion, broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes and planes of color, conveying the nuanced and multifaceted nature of Travis Hunter's role with the Jacksonville Jaguars.The complex, multifaceted usage of Jaguars star Travis Hunter continues to elude the national media narrative.Today in Jacksonville

Despite the Jacksonville Jaguars' success in 2025, including a 13-4 record, an AFC South title, and candidates for MVP and Coach of the Year, the team's second-year player Travis Hunter continues to be misunderstood by the national media. There have been a number of overreactions and inaccurate reports about Hunter's usage and recovery from an LCL tear, even though the Jaguars' own GM James Gladstone laid out the plan for Hunter back in January.

Why it matters

The Jaguars have long been overlooked and disrespected by the national media, and the discourse around Travis Hunter is just the latest example. This reflects a broader issue of the media not actually listening to or understanding what the Jaguars are doing, instead opting to push their own narratives. Head coach Liam Coen has embraced this disrespect and used it to the team's advantage, but the constant misrepresentation of facts around Hunter is frustrating for the organization and its fans.

The details

Despite reports from Ian Rapoport and others suggesting changes to Travis Hunter's usage, Jaguars GM James Gladstone clearly stated in January that the plan is for Hunter to play more cornerback but still see snaps at wide receiver, similar to his rookie season. Last year, Hunter played twice as many snaps at receiver than cornerback, and the Jaguars are simply inverting that ratio for 2026. There has been no indication from the team that Hunter will not continue to play on both sides of the ball.

  • In January, Jaguars GM James Gladstone discussed the plan for Travis Hunter's usage in 2026.
  • On February 13, reporter Cameron Wolfe reported that the Jaguars plan to use Hunter primarily at cornerback with some snaps at receiver.
  • On April 9, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport provided an update on Hunter's recovery, reiterating the plan Wolfe had reported in February.

The players

Travis Hunter

A second-year cornerback/wide receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars who was a high draft pick in 2025.

Liam Coen

The head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, who has embraced the team's underdog status and used it to the team's advantage.

James Gladstone

The general manager of the Jacksonville Jaguars, who laid out the team's plan for Travis Hunter's usage in 2026 back in January.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Yeah, I think very fair to say his rehab process is going as expected. He's hitting it hard and obviously the joy that he brings to just the everyday operation is still something that permeates throughout the space that he enters and beyond that and the role that he'll play, we still expect him to play on both sides of the ball.”

— James Gladstone, Jaguars General Manager

The takeaway

The constant misrepresentation of facts around Travis Hunter's usage by the national media highlights a broader issue of the Jaguars being overlooked and disrespected despite their on-field success. The team and its fans have grown accustomed to this lack of understanding, but it remains frustrating to see the narrative around one of their key players continue to miss the mark.