No one has more confidence in him than Travis Hunter has in himself. He’s ready to become the first-ever two-way star of the NFL. He’s adamant, in fact. He has even compared himself to Shohei Ohtani, boldly claiming he is better than the Dodgers’ star. But he’ll need some help.
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If Hunter is given the opportunity to play both ways in the NFL, sustaining that level of workload will be a significant challenge. The physical toll could be immense, raising the question: what would be the best approach to maximize his impact while preserving his longevity? Well, during the latest episode of Travis Hunter’s podcast, the Buffs star got some key advice from Hall of Famer receiver, Calvin Johnson.
Megatron emphasized that an athlete’s body is their greatest asset—it’s what sustains their career and generates wealth. The key to longevity is continuous investment in its maintenance, which includes proper nutrition, rigorous conditioning, disciplined training, and even being mindful of the company you keep.
More importantly, he passed on some words of wisdom that he got from another two-way star and Hunter’s former coach Deion Sanders.
“Deion told me this the day I got drafted, right off the stage. He was like Son, you going to have to learn how to say no…It’s going to be the hardest thing for you to do but you are going to have to learn how to say no. You going to have people coming at you for your time or money and you going to have to say no. Put people around you that can help filter those things out.”
He warned that success attracts opportunists—people who latch on like parasites, seeking to take advantage. In those moments, your inner circle—the people you trust most—becomes your best defense against those trying to exploit you.
Travis would have to seriously invest a lot in his body if he is planning to do what many anticipate he will when he gets into the league- play both ways to the fullest of his ability.
Calvin Johnson asks Travis if he is planning to play every snap in the NFL
Megatron posed the question that everyone had been asking, and unsurprisingly, Hunter’s answer remained the same. When the Hall of Famer asked if he planned to play both sides of the ball—potentially logging all 120 snaps on offense and defense—Hunter didn’t waver.
The Heisman winner doubled down, insisting that he could handle every snap in the NFL, just as he did in college. He explained that in college, coaches signaled plays from the sidelines without breaks or huddles. To keep up, he studied the entire playbook inside and out, ensuring he could be involved in every play.
” I know I can play 120. Our offense was firepower. We didn’t stop. We had no breaks. Our offense was based on Temp. We didn’t have no-huddle plays. We were so used to getting signals. So my biggest thing is just me learning the playbook more. Getting more in-depth with the playbook and understanding what I’m doing so I can go out there and play 120 plays.”
Johnson, however, offered a word of caution. If Hunter wants to sustain playing both ways, he needs to be smart about it. He advised him not to play the hero by taking unnecessary hits, urging him to slide down and avoid unnecessary contact.
Additionally, he emphasized the importance of mastering the playbook—knowing every detail will help Hunter maximize his impact on both offense and defense without overexerting himself.
It won’t be easy for Hunter to play every snap because the NFL is a completely different animal. He will learn that in no time. He will realize that playing against the best of the best every week isn’t easy, no matter how much you train or prepare. After all, even his mentor and coach Deion Sanders couldn’t handle playing on both sides of the ball.
