Travis Hunter, the Jacksonville Jaguars’ dynamic second-year star, was caught on film doing what any passionate fan would do: rocking a Lionel Messi jersey at the 2026 World Cup final in New York-New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium). Spain ultimately beat Argentina, who were the reigning champions, ending Messi’s likely final World Cup game with a loss. Hunter still had his typical smile on his face before the game, just vibing to the pregame sounds, even if his chosen squad went home disappointed.
Hunter’s High-Stakes Offseason Fun Before Camp
Watching the World Cup final in person certainly sounds like a blast, especially when you are cheering on a legend like Messi. For Hunter, this trip was his final respite before the grind of NFL training camp kicks off next week. Coming off a challenging rookie season, every moment of his offseason has been under the microscope for Jaguars fans. He was the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and the expectations are sky-high for him to deliver on that potential.
The Pressure Is ON for Hunter’s Second NFL Year
Honestly, Hunter’s rookie season was a bit of a disappointment overall. It got cut short after Week 7 with knee surgery, which is just brutal for any player, let alone a high draft pick trying to make his mark. He was playing both wide receiver and cornerback full time, a huge ask, and seemed to be really hitting his stride right before the injury. In that final game before going down, he racked up eight receptions for 101 yards and even caught his first NFL touchdown. His 2025 season numbers finished with 28 receptions for 298 yards and one touchdown on offense, plus 15 combined tackles and three passes defended on defense. After recovering, he spent the offseason bulking up, hoping to be better prepared for the sheer physicality of the NFL game and, critically, to handle the demanding dual role of playing both ways. Right now, he is listed as a starting cornerback alongside Montaric Brown, and in the loaded wide receiver room, he is competing with Jakobi Meyers for third-receiver reps, seemingly behind starters Brian Thomas Jr. and Parker Washington.
Jacksonville’s training camp is literally days away, and Hunter’s performance is going to be crucial. Everyone’s watching to see if all that offseason work, and that final World Cup reprieve, has him truly ready to make good on his No. 2 pick status and be the dual-threat player the Jaguars need him to be.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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