Every NFL season brings its fair share of rookie and veteran game-changers. Well, Jaguars‘ rookie Travis Hunter took things up a notch this year. What sets the Colorado star apart is his rare ability to dominate on both sides of the ball. He has done it in college and hopes to continue to do the same and be a two-way player in the pro league. But not everyone is buying into the hype, and some, such as Davante Adams, have openly expressed their doubts.
Regardless, the Heisman winner is confident about his goals. In fact, he even gave an ultimatum once. When CBS Sports’ Garrett Podell asked the Jaguars’ # 12 what he’d do if an NFL team told him to stick to just one position, his response was swift. “…never playing football again. Because I’ve been doing it my whole life, and I love being on the football field. I feel like I could dominate on each side of the ball, so I really enjoy doing it,” he said.
As said, veteran wide receiver Davante Adams recently threw cold water on the idea. During his appearance on The Pivot podcast, Adams was blunt in his comment as he said that he doesn’t think playing both ways in the NFL is realistic, at least not at a high level. But before looking at fans’ frustration as well as convincing explanations, it’s important to look at where the Rams’ # 17 is coming from and why he believes Hunter might be biting off more than he can chew.
“I don’t even think it’s possible to do, for real. Not at a high level. … That’s just a lot of mileage, man. I’m not even concerned so much if he can do it over the course of a game or a season,” Adams told Ryan Clark on the show. “It’s more like, how long is his career going to be if he’s playing that many snaps? All you’re doing is doubling your risk for injury, one, and I don’t wish any of that on him. I hope that he can play an injury-free season and go ball out. But it’s just the reality,” the WR said, emphasizing the issues and risks that Hunter might face if he chooses this path in his pro career.
𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚: Davante Adams doubts Travis Hunter can play both offense and defense in the NFL.
“I don’t even think it’s possible to do, for real. Not at a high level… Once you get out there playing both sides, now you have to tackle. You’ve got to tackle Derrick Henry with… pic.twitter.com/QWvOg7dk5h
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) August 6, 2025
The scariest part here is perhaps the injuries. However, as seen in the training camps, the Jaguars have been careful with the player by adjusting his schedule to practice in both roles. Regardless, as soon as Adams’ comments hit the internet, reactions started pouring in.
Fans have a theory to defend Travis Hunter
One of the netizens was harsh with their comment. Rather than explaining, this fan dismissed Davante Adams’ criticism by implying that Adams is past his prime and wrote, “Just cuz he old and washed up don’t mean he gotta take it out on the kid.” Is this true? Perhaps not. There are more complexities to his take.
Another netizen pointed out the mention of Derrick Henry by Adams, stating that it would be tough to stop someone like him. However, the fan argued that size isn’t everything when it comes to tackling in the NFL. To explain his argument, the fan mentioned Cooper DeJean, a technical defender, to show that good form and technique can overcome physical mismatch, defending Travis’ ability to do the same. “Ask cooper dejean about how to tackle Derek Henry – it’s about technique not how big you are,” the comment read.
“They hating.. they not acknowledging that the same way they WRs and do what they do.. play both sides is what he DOES,” another fan wrote, calling Adams out for ignoring the fact that Hunter has consistently succeeded at playing both ways. “Knows it’s a gimmick for ratings,” One wrote, arguing that Adams commented for media attention.
Well, one can’t deny that Hunter is one of the few players to make it happen at the college level. In fact, the first ever to win both the Chuck Bednarik Award (best defensive player) and the Fred Biletnikoff Award (best receiver) in the same year in college history. Impressive right? That has sparked fans’ interest too. No wonder there were several harsh comments for Adams from hopeful fans. One wrote, “Just let him try and not project your fears on to him.” Many wish for the Jaguars to give a fair shot to Hunter, and the team is listening.
“I don’t think so either. I haven’t been impressed with his offensive reps. He looks solid on defense though. The game is just to physical and skilled now to put enough time in effort in to play both sides of the ball. Maybe they bring him in for situational stuff,” another netizen wrote, claiming that Hunter may be a good defender but hasn’t shown enough offensively.
Well, thankfully, the season is upon us. Just in time for the veil of speculation to part and reveal the answers on the gridiron.
The post Calls Mount Against Davante Adams’ Warning to Travis Hunter as Liam Coen Clears Plans For WR appeared first on EssentiallySports.
