Travis Hunter would have loved to make a mark playing the game on his return to Colorado. Yes, the 22-year-old was back in ‘Buffs country’ for his Jacksonville Jaguars’ massive Week 16 matchup with the Denver Broncos, but he was walking around using crutches.
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Hunter spent two years in Boulder, Colorado, starring for the Buffaloes, helping the program return to relevance while winning a Heisman Trophy last year. A year on, after getting selected by the Jags, Hunter’s rookie season in the NFL was cut way short when he suffered a severe non-contact knee injury during practice in the lead-up to the team’s Week 9 game.
Hunter has not played since late October, but seems to have improved a bit. He was spotted in Colorado wearing a brace on his surgically repaired right knee.
Travis Hunter is back in Colorado as the Jags face the Broncos today. Hunter is still on crutches and his knee still in a brace. pic.twitter.com/L3vFDMHFah
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) December 21, 2025
With the Jaguars on a run right now, Hunter’s status is of more interest than it has been all year. They’re coming off their sixth win in a row.
Sunday’s victory was by far the most impressive. They handed the top seed in the AFC, the Broncos, their first loss since September. And it was by two touchdowns. More impressively, it was at Mile High in Denver, where the Broncos had not lost all season. It was a statement victory.
While the Jags still haven’t clinched a playoff berth yet, despite being 11-4, they should do so before they take the field again for Week 17 action. If the division-rivals, the Indianapolis Colts, who started 7-1 and are now on the brink at 8-6, lose to the San Francisco 49ers in Indy on Monday night, Jacksonville returns to the postseason for the first time since 2022.
So, can Hunter make a return by January when the playoffs commence? Unfortunately for Duval, the answer is a firm no.
Hunter is still wearing a brace and still walking with the aid of crutches. That means he’s not coming back anytime soon. The diagnosis when he suffered the injury was that the LCL was torn, while the ACL was intact. That brought with it a ‘done for the season’ tag.
The Jags are focused on this playoff push. But when it comes to Hunter specifically, eyes are on 2026.
Hunter should be ready to go for the start of next year. The prognosis was that he should be able to return to “full football activities” six months after the surgery, according to Ian Rapoport. That means the two-way star should be back in full pads by May. More than enough time to prepare before training camp, a month later.
