Travis Hunter started the NFL preseason poorly. In fact, his performance in the Jacksonville Jaguars’ game against the Pittsburgh Steelers will go down in history for an embarrassing reason.
On Saturday, during the game, Hunter played both as a wide receiver and a cornerback, contributing on offense and defense. The 22-year-old took part in only a short stretch, with eight defensive snaps and ten offensive snaps.
An embarrassing moment for Hunter
According to Athlonsports, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft recorded nine yards and two receptions during the game. However, he made no plays as a cornerback.
To make matters worse, his defensive highlight came on the wrong end of a play. Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson stiff-armed him to the ground as Hunter tried to tackle. Some NFL fans mocked the moment, calling it a humiliation.
This photo of Kaleb Johnson vs. DB Travis Hunter 🥶
(📸 @steelers) pic.twitter.com/nVqwbjW0sJ— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) August 10, 2025
The photo of the embarrassing incident went viral. Some social media users called it the “perfect picture,” while one fan wrote: “Looks like a video game glitch where a player’s stats are maxed out.”
The mockery was relentless. One troll wrote: “Travis Hunter will need therapy after this matchup, not a game film,” while another joked: “Not to be confused with WR Travis Hunter.”
Others praised Johnson, saying: “That’s clean!” and “That Iowa RB is no joke. They have to be good because they never have a quarterback.”
Given it was Hunter’s first game with the Jaguars, he had limited chances on both sides of the ball. Still, expectations will rise ahead of the next game against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
