The Jacksonville Jaguars are enjoying an excellent campaign under Liam Coen’s leadership. But when they take the field for the AFC Wild Card Round, they’ll be without Travis Hunter, the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. He will not feature against the Buffalo Bills.
Why Is Travis Hunter Not Playing Against the Buffalo Bills in the Playoffs?
Travis Hunter has been absent from the field for over two months now and will not return to the NFL until the 2026 season.
The two-way talent suffered a serious knee injury on Oct. 30. He was taking part in a non-contact defensive drill with the Jaguars and suffered a torn lateral collateral ligament (LCL). He underwent surgery two weeks later, and the team placed him on injured reserve.
As the second overall pick, there were high hopes for Hunter’s first year. He graduated from college with a special designation. Playing on both sides of the ball, the Jaguars were hoping he could become a playmaker as both a wide receiver and a cornerback, and he was quickly improving.
Offensively, he finished the year with 26 catches, 298 yards, and a touchdown, including a 14-catch, 101-yard performance against the Los Angeles Rams, a game where he also scored the first touchdown of his career; defensively, he started four out of seven games and finished the season with three defended passes.
By the time he suffered his knee injury, the Jaguars held a 4-3 record, coming from two straight losses. Despite Hunter’s absence, Jacksonville managed to recover and close the year with a 13-4 record, including its first AFC South title since 2022. The Jaguars won their final eight games to win the division over the 12-5 Houston Texans.
Hunter was also playing a meaningful number of snaps during his first season. In the seven games he played, he was present in 67% of the offensive snaps, while also contributing in 36% of the defensive snaps. Although he featured in special teams three times, he was not a key part of the third unit.
The knee injury hampered his progress. However, he’s not expected to suffer any long-term damage as a result, and so far, his recovery has been smooth. Luckily, his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) was intact, which bodes well for a full recovery for the 2026 season.
Hunter, who ended the season with a 68.9 Impact Score per our PFSN WR Impact Metric, won’t be judged for one season only. The Jaguars are enjoying a great year under Liam Coen’s leadership, and this is all without the No. 2 pick. They have the potential to be even better in 2026.
