Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter did not go through his usual game day routine before his team faced the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
Hours before the Jaguars’ 20-12 home loss to the Seahawks, Hunter was baptized at the Celebration Church in Jacksonville, Fla. Hunter said he had been planning to take part in the religious ceremony for a while.
“It’s Sunday. It’s God’s day. I’ve been planning to go get baptized for a minute,” Hunter said, via ESPN’s Kalan Hooks. “I changed my life over to become a better man.”
A video that was shared on social media showed part of the ceremony.
Deion Sanders, who coached Hunter in college at Colorado and Jackson State, shared the video on his personal Instagram account. Sanders is also a devout Christian.
“It means a lot. I’m becoming a better man and leaving my old self and starting a new chapter,” Hunter said Sunday.
Hunter had four catches for 15 yards on offense in Jacksonville’s loss to the Seahawks. He made two tackles on defense.
The Jaguars traded up to the No. 2 overall spot in the 2025 NFL Draft to select Hunter. They have been committed to allowing him to be a two-way player like he was in Colorado, though he is not having quite the impact many had expected early on. Sanders suggested last month that the Jaguars should consider changing the way they have been handling Hunter.
