Fans Believe Travis Hunter’s New Act of Kindness Is a “Staged PR Stunt”

Travis Hunter has never needed any type of PR to make fans love him. And why would he? There’s no one like him in the entire American football ecosystem — able not just to play both ways, but to dominate. Add to that his performances that led him to become a Heisman winner, along with his soft-spoken humility off the field, and it’s no surprise that the Jacksonville Jaguars rookie lives in his fans’ hearts rent-free.

But a new video circulating online has some internet sleuths raising eyebrows over whether Hunter’s latest act of kindness is as spontaneous as it seems.

In that now-viral clip, Hunter can be seen strutting toward a young football player training in a front yard near his home. Visibly in the zone, the teen is caught off guard as Hunter approaches unannounced, flanked by what appears to be at least two cameramen capturing every second of the interaction.

The former Buffs player then proceeds to greet the youngster. Unsurprisingly, the lucky teen was starstruck—he ran toward his house to grab his phone before asking Travis Hunter’s entourage to capture what looked like a once-in-a-lifetime moment for him.

While the gesture feels wholesome, the online reaction has been sharply divided. Call it the entourage effect, but for many fans, the presence of cameras created a layer of doubt.

“Staged PR stunt,” wrote a skeptical viewer. Another fan, meanwhile, went on a full-blown rant:

“Look at me, I’m rich, I’m a nice guy, let me make sure everyone knows I’m a nice guy, so let me film it. I once bought a kid a piece of him for a quarter because his mom didn’t have money. I didn’t film it with my production team.”

Although, not all responses were drenched in cynicism. Some fans acknowledged the possibility that Hunter’s heart was in the right place. “If this is legit and not staged, this is really cool by Travis,” wrote one user. Another added, “With each passing day, I find another reason to love this kid, Travis Hunter!”

That said, this isn’t the first time Hunter’s kindness has gone viral. Just earlier this month, a woman named Sandy Combs posted a heartfelt story after sharing her flight journey with Hunter. She described how the NFL star helped her store luggage, assisted with her food tray, and addressed her with consistent respect and warmth.

At the time, the reigning Heisman winner’s interaction was completely unplanned and not caught by any professional cameras. In fact, Hunter hadn’t even revealed his identity to the old lady until she asked him who he was. “I’m Travis. Yes, I was drafted by the Jags,” sheepishly admitted the rookie.

So, whether or not Hunter’s latest interaction was staged, the bottom line is simple: even if it was curated, it still left a positive mark on a young athlete’s day. And in today’s world of performative kindness, sometimes the intention matters just as much as the impact.