Bad news for Travis Hunter: legal setback could derail NFL rise

A Florida judge has denied Travis Hunter Sr.’s request to modify his criminal sentence, despite his son’s recent success in the NFL. Hunter Sr., father of Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter Jr., sought to convert his remaining community control supervision—a form of house arrest—into standard probation.

He argued that this change would allow him to “assist his son with furthering his very promising career with the National Football League”. However, Judge Howard Coates rejected the plea, stating that altering the sentence due to his son’s achievements would appear as “special treatment.”

Hunter Sr., 39, is serving a sentence stemming from gun and drug charges, which includes 90 days in jail followed by three years of probation, with the first year under community control.

Hunter Sr.’s attorney, Bradford Cohen, told the judge that “in this case, he’s not only been successful in community control − he’s completed everything that he had in community control. And what’s so important to me is that his situation has changed."

“You say that, but what’s going on with his son has not changed the landscape,” Judge Howard Coates said in a Palm Beach public hearing.

‘I don’t know that changes the father’s situation for me’

He has completed the jail term and is approximately halfway through the community control period. While the judge acknowledged that Hunter Sr. had complied with the terms of his sentence thus far, he emphasised that his son’s professional success does not warrant a modification of the agreed-upon plea deal.

Earlier, the court had granted Hunter Sr. permission to attend the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay, where his son was selected second overall by the Jaguars. In a separate ruling, Judge Coates also approved Hunter Sr.’s request to travel to Tennessee for his son’s wedding.

“I hear these circumstances have changed, you know, my hat’s off to his son,” the judge said. “I don’t know that changes the father’s situation for me. In fact, it’s given me some concern that you’re almost arguing for special treatment.”

Despite these allowances, the judge maintained that the original sentence should remain intact, cautioning against setting a precedent that could be perceived as favouritism.

Travis Hunter Jr., a standout two-way player from Colorado and former Heisman Trophy winner, has expressed a desire to play both cornerback and wide receiver in the NFL. His father’s legal situation has garnered attention, highlighting the complexities of balancing personal rehabilitation with familial support in the context of professional sports.

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