The Jacksonville Jaguars will have to make due without Travis Hunter.
The team announced Tuesday afternoon that Hunter would not return this season after being placed on injured reserve on Oct. 31 with a right knee injury.
Hunter, 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, was drafted by the Jaguars with the second-overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft after the team traded up three spots from the fifth to the second-overall pick with the Cleveland Browns.
In exchange for the rights to draft Hunter, Jacksonville sent their fifth-overall pick, second-round pick (No. 36 overall), fourth-round pick and a 2026 first-round pick.
The Jaguars were poised to utilize Hunter on both sides of the football. He began cross-training immediately after being selected and performed both duties on the same day in practice late in training camp before doing so in various capacities during the first seven games of the season.
Hunter’s season comes to an end after playing 67% (324) of the team’s offensive snaps and 36% (162) of the team’s defensive snaps through seven games.
Hunter, 22, played over 60% of the team’s defensive snaps in two games this season, while he manned 60% or higher offensive snaps four out of seven games, never earning fewer than 52% on a given day. His numbers staggered defensively from as high as 68.3% (Week 3, Houston) to as low as 9.4% (Week 1, Panthers).
Here’s what you should know about Travis Hunter’s knee injury and his projected timeline to return.
How did Travis Hunter injure his knee?
Travis Hunter was injured while playing on the defensive side of the ball in practice. The injury was non-contact.
When did Travis Hunter get hurt?
Travis Hunter injured his knee on Thursday, Oct. 30, just ahead of the team’s Week 9 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Did Travis Hunter have surgery?
Yes, Travis Hunter underwent successful surgery to repair an isolated lateral collateral ligament (LCL) injury in his right knee. The Jaguars said there was no additional damage to the knee and the procedure was performed by Dr. Dan Cooper and Jaguars team physician, Dr. Kevin Kaplan, in Dallas.
What is an LCL? Did Travis Hunter tear any other ligaments?
According to the Cleveland Clinic, an LCL (lateral collateral ligament) is a “band of tissue located on the outside of your knee (the side that faces away from your body). The tissue connects your lower leg bones to your thigh bone. It stops your knee from bending outward abnormally.”
Travis Hunter did not tear any other ligaments in his knee, according to the Jaguars.
Is Travis Hunter out for the season?
Yes, Travis Hunter will miss the rest of the season. After being placed on IR on Oct. 31, Hunter was slated to miss at least the next four games, per league rules. He would have been eligible to play again against the Tennessee Titans on Nov. 30, but was expected to miss more time than that.
Now, he won’t play again this year.
What is Travis Hunter’s recovery timeline?
The Jaguars say that Travis Hunter is expected to return within six months to full football activities. That puts Hunter’s timeline to return around May, when the team returns for voluntary organized team activities. ahead of the 2026 season.
What is Travis Hunter’s contract with the Jaguars?
Travis Hunter signed a fully guaranteed, four-year, $46.65 million deal that is fully guaranteed. The deal included a record-setting $30.57 million signing bonus that was paid out entirely up front.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Travis Hunter injury: What to know about knee surgery, return timeline with Jaguars
Reporting by Demetrius Harvey, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
