Travis Hunter’s soul may have been saved on Sunday, but the Jacksonville Jaguars rookie’s day went downhill from there.
The second-overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft was baptized prior to the Jacksonville Jaguars’ game against the visiting Seattle Seahawks, as seen in video posted online by a local Jacksonville resident Sunday morning.
‘Couldn’t find my keys this morning and was late for church, only to come upon Jacksonville Jaguars Travis Hunter getting baptized!’ Kristine Love wrote on Instagram. ‘He asked to come get baptized before today’s game. Thank you Jesus for touching this young man’s life!’
Hunter, who has gotten married and become a father since winning the Heisman Trophy last December, is seen being dunked in a tank of water as two people pray for him on either side.
Unfortunately for Hunter, and Jaguars fans, that would be the highlight of his day as the two-way star out of Colorado was flagged for a costly offside penalty in a 20-12 loss to the Seahawks.
On a day when the Jaguars were penalized 10 times for 76 yards, none proved more costly than Hunter’s infraction, which negated a 54-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Trevor Lawrence to Brian Thomas Jr. Hunter, as refs noticed before the snap, was lined up in the neutral zone on the play.
Travis Hunter was baptized prior to Sunday’s game against the visiting Seattle Seahawks
Jacksonville Jaguars two-way rookie Travis Hunter reacts during player introductions
‘It’s an undisciplined operation at the moment,’ coach Liam Coen said. ‘What’s standing in our way? Right now, it’s us.’
Fortunately for Hunter, the Jags would score later in the drive when Lawrence found running back Travis Etienne for nine-yard touchdown pass.
Lawrence later added a 26-yard TD pass to Tim Patrick to cut Seattle’s lead, but it wasn’t enough as Jacksonville fell to 4-2 ahead of next week’s game in London against the Los Angeles Rams.
The Seahawks, now 4-2 themselves, host Houston next Monday night.
Hunter had four catches on Sunday for just 15 yards, while struggling to make an impact at cornerback (two tackles). It’s another in a series of disappointing performances for a rookie that cost Jacksonville the fifth, 36th and 126th picks of last April’s draft as well as their own first rounder next year.
The Browns went on to select Mason Graham with the fifth pick and the defensive tackle out of Michigan has since generated positive reviews in Cleveland.
Hunter (circled) was lined up in the neutral zone, thereby negating a 54-yard TD pass
Fans were naturally supportive of Hunter’s baptism on Sunday.
‘Travis Hunter’s got both talent and humility,’ one fan wrote.
Many others added: ‘God bless this child.’
Of course, not everyone was happy with Hunter after his penalty and sub-par overall performance.
‘Travis is never seeing the pearly gates,’ one joked.
Another responded to the baptism video on X by writing: ‘Just to line up offsides and negate a touchdown.’
As for next week’s game, Hunter said he’s going to London with the singular focus of getting Jacksonville back to winning.
‘I’m going out there to play football, not to go sightseeing,’ he told reporters.
