JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville Jaguars rookie receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery on his right knee Tuesday, the team announced.
Hunter had the lateral collateral ligament repaired in Dallas by Dr. Dan Cooper and Jaguars team physician Dr. Kevin Kaplan. There was no additional damage to the knee, the team announced, and Hunter is expected to return to full football activities within six months.
Hunter was placed on injured reserve on Oct. 31, one day after he suffered a non-contact injury during practice while on defense. The team was unsure at the time the severity of Hunter’s injury and how much time he would miss, but the initial MRI revealed that Hunter’s ACL was intact.
Further testing revealed the damage to the LCL.
Hunter’s last game was his best offensive performance as a pro; he caught eight passes for 104 yards and his first NFL touchdown during a 35-7 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in London in Week 7.
The 2024 Heisman Trophy winner has 28 catches for 298 yards and a touchdown. On defense, he has 15 tackles and three pass breakups. He played 67% of the team’s offensive snaps and 36% of the defensive snaps until his injury.
Hunter was moving into the role as the team’s No. 1 receiver, partly because of his skills and play-making ability but also because of Brian Thomas Jr.’s struggles (five drops).
After injuries to Hunter, Thomas (ankle in Week 9) and Dyami Brown (shoulder), the Jaguars acquired receiver Jakobi Meyers from the Las Vegas Raiders at the Nov. 4 trade deadline.
Meyers played 24 snaps and caught three passes for 41 yards in the Jaguars’ 36-29 loss at Houston last Sunday.
Jacksonville next hosts the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
The Jaguars traded four draft picks — including a first-rounder in 2026 — to Cleveland to move up three spots to select Hunter second overall. The Jaguars also gave the Browns the No. 5 pick, a second-round pick, and a fourth-round selection in the 2025 draft.
The Jaguars also received fourth- and sixth-round picks in the 2025 draft.