Heading into Week 6, the Jacksonville Jaguars were 4-1, which is a solid bounce-back from last year’s abysmal 4-13 overall record. The team even toppled the Chiefs the previous week, showing how well they’ve been playing under new head coach Liam Coen.
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But then, last Sunday at home against the Seattle Seahawks, the same team looked out of sync. The Jaguars’ offensive line gave up a season-high seven sacks on Trevor Lawrence, who was pressured 27 times. They committed 10 penalties in total, including an offside that wiped out a 54-yard touchdown. The usually stout defense struggled to create turnovers, while the offense had missed kicks and off-target passes (we’re looking at you, Brian Thomas Jr.).
All eyes are now on the 4-2 team, especially rookie sensation Travis Hunter, who made headlines on gameday for reasons off the field. The reigning Heisman winner got baptized before the 1 p.m. kickoff. He’d been planning it for a while and, in his own words, Sunday is “God’s day,” so he didn’t want to wait any longer.
NFL analyst Skip Bayless, for one, wasn’t impressed with the timing. In a rant session posted on X, he suggested that Hunter’s limited usage on the field is distracting him from the game.
Bayless also argued that while the two-way star could be focused on pregame prep, the lack of opportunities has led him to slack. And according to the polarizing analyst, most of the blame falls squarely on the Jaguars.
“Allow me to tell you why there was no way Travis Hunter should have chosen to be baptized on the morning of a 1 o’clock game in Jacksonville… These are not normal circumstances for Travis Hunter. The Jags are using him so little, especially on defense, where he’s the most gifted. All-time gifted,” Bayless started.
“Travis Hunter is starting to lose interest. He’s starting to check out mentally on the Jags, so he was actually happy to be baptized on a gameday morning. Because football isn’t taking that much concentration. Or fucus, or pre-game mental preparation. Nope, not now,” argued the analyst.
There is no way Travis Hunter should’ve chosen to be baptized on the morning of a game. He is losing interest. He is mentally checking out on the Jags. pic.twitter.com/hzqydPXSYG
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) October 15, 2025
Bayless wasn’t at all against the baptism, just the timing. He also didn’t see it as a protest from the two-way star over his limited usage.
“I’m certainly not suggesting that getting baptized was any kind of protest on Travis’ part. It was just a stunning indication of where his head is at, or not at, right now. He’s really not into football right now,” Bayless said.
Bayless himself was baptized as an infant in a Methodist Church in Oklahoma City. He has followed the path of Christ for decades and wholeheartedly believes that Hunter will benefit from his baptism for life. Still, the timing didn’t sit well with him.
The analyst is right about Hunter’s limited usage. On offense, he’s been on the field for 63% of plays, but that’s still 24% lower than his 2024 season in Colorado. On defense, he’s used even less, at 39%, which is 44% fewer snaps than in college.
But let’s not forget that Hunter is a unique talent, and the coaches are likely experimenting before giving him more snaps. Taking college-level snaps in the NFL isn’t easy, and he’d be more prone to injuries, mistakes, and exhaustion. He also hasn’t delivered the consistent performances you might expect from a second overall pick yet, but with time and patience, he certainly can.
