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Travis Hunter’s rookie season with the Jacksonville Jaguars has ended early.
The Jaguars announced Tuesday that Hunter will miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery to repair the lateral collateral ligament (LCL) in his right knee.
“Beyond the LCL, there was no additional injury to the knee that Hunter injured during practice on Oct. 30. The procedure was performed by Dr. Dan Cooper and Jaguars team physician Dr. Kevin Kaplan in Dallas,” the team said in a statement.
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Travis Hunter of the Jacksonville Jaguars warms up prior to the game against the Seattle Seahawks at EverBank Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Mike Carlson/Getty Images)
The team said Hunter “is expected to return within six months to full football activities,” which would make him ready to start the 2026 NFL season.
Unfortunately for Jacksonville, a team in the playoff hunt at 5-4, it will be a tough loss for the rest of the year.
JAGUARS’ TRAVIS HUNTER SURPRISINGLY LANDES ON INJURED RESERVE; COACH COMMITTED TO RETURN THIS SEASON
Hunter was placed on injured reserve on Halloween, one day after suffering the non-contact injury in practice. The team had hoped that the severity of the injury was not that bad, especially after the first MRI showed that his ACL was intact.
However, further tests on the right knee found damage to the LCL and surgery was needed to repair it.
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter runs onto the field before an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, in Jacksonville, Florida. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Hunter, the dual-threat taken second overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, looked to hit the ground running in his final game. As a receiver, he caught eight passes for 104 yards with his first NFL touchdown in a 35-7 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in London. He tallied 28 catches for 298 yards and a touchdown through his rookie season.
When called up at cornerback, Hunter had 15 tackles and three passes defensed, although he played just 36% of the team’s defensive snaps before his injury. He was on the field for 67% of the team’s offensive snaps.
The Jaguars made a trade deadline move to help a depleted receiving corps, acquiring Jakobi Meyers in a deal with the Las Vegas Raiders. Brian Thomas Jr., who has struggled with drops this season, injured his ankle in Week 9, while Dyami Brown is dealing with a shoulder injury.
Travis Hunter of the Jacksonville Jaguars celebrates after an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs at EverBank Stadium on October 6, 2025 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
Jacksonville will have to battle through another key loss on its roster, especially after a road collapse against the Houston Texans, who scored 26 points in the fourth quarter to come from behind and beat their AFC South rival.
The Jaguars will host the surging Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
