Travis Hunter finally snagged his first NFL career interception on Sunday, a massive milestone for the former first-round pick and Heisman Trophy winner. But here’s the kicker: as of Monday, that historic ball is completely GONE. Yeah, you heard that right. Its whereabouts are totally unknown after a seriously wild post-interception clash between Hunter’s Jacksonville Jaguars teammate Josh Hines-Allen and a ball boy who was NOT having it.
The Pick, The Spin, and The Start of Something Weird
This whole saga kicked off during the Jaguars’ 35-6 blowout win over the New England Patriots. Hunter, playing in just the third game of his second NFL season, picked off Drake Maye in the back of the end zone. It was a huge play, and he celebrated like any player would, spinning the ball on the turf. That’s when a ball boy scooped it up. Enter Josh Hines-Allen, who, presumably wanting to get the ball for Hunter, tried to retrieve it. What happened next was pure chaos, all caught on camera by News 13 sports reporter Brandon Greene.
“You Can’t Touch Me!” The Ball Boy Stood His Ground
Hines-Allen reached out to grab the ball from the ball boy, touching his upper body in the process. And that’s when things went sideways. The ball boy stiff-armed Hines-Allen and flat out refused to give it up! He screamed, “You can’t touch me, you can’t touch me!” When Jaguars equipment manager George Pellicer showed up, the ball boy just walked away from Hines-Allen. Hines-Allen kept trying to get the ball back, but even after Pellicer intervened, the ball boy kept yelling, “He pushed me,” and “He can’t do that.” Hines-Allen eventually backed off, with the ball boy still in possession and talking to Pellicer. And that’s where the trail goes cold.
Where’s the Ball?! Even the Coach Doesn’t Know
So, where did the ball end up? Nobody knows. As of Monday, Jaguars head coach Liam Coen was clueless when asked about it during his video news conference. He actually smirked and said, “I don’t know.” Coen added, “I was just talking about it, and I haven’t gotten a clean answer. I think we’ve been in communication with those guys over there. I think they’ve gotten it sorted out. I can’t say for certain if we have the actual ball or not. I know there was something that went on there, but think it’s all squared away. I think they’ll get it taken care of.” Travis Hunter himself hadn’t publicly addressed the missing ball as of Monday. It’s still unclear if the ball boy works for the Jaguars or Patriots, but this should be a simple issue to settle, right? We’re all waiting to see if Hunter ever gets his hands on that piece of history.
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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