Travis Hunter’s Father Gets Court Approval To Witness His Son’s NFL Draft Dream In Person – Essence
When Travis Hunter crosses the stage at the NFL Draft in Green Bay tonight, he’ll have a very special supporter in the crowd. In fact, probably the most important supporter of them all.
Travis Hunter Sr. (aka, Travis Jr.’s dad), who’s been on probation and under home confinement, just got a rare break. A judge is granting him permission to leave Florida and travel to Wisconsin to see his son’s life-changing moment in person, according to the Palm Beach Post.
He missed Travis’s emotional Heisman night last December, but thankfully this time, he won’t have to watch from afar. Hunter Sr. will be in Green Bay for the first night of the draft before heading back to Boynton Beach on Friday. While he’s there, he’ll have to stick to his hotel and Lambeau Field, where the draft’s being held.
Travis Jr. made a name for himself at Colorado as one of the top two-way players in college football—and now, a likely top-five draft pick. His rise through college football culminated with the Heisman Trophy last season, a ceremony his father couldn’t attend despite being released from detention just days earlier.
According to The Palm Beach Post, Hunter Sr. made the selfless decision to remain home so his mother – Travis Jr.’s grandmother Shirley Hunter – could attend the New York ceremony instead.
“He just wanted me to go in his place because I hadn’t been [to New York] and he wanted me to go instead of himself,” Shirley told reporters after the Heisman ceremony.
The absence wasn’t lost on Travis Jr., who dedicated part of his acceptance speech directly to his father watching from afar.
“And I want to say something to my father. He’s not here to be able to make it, but I know you’re watching on TV,” Hunter said during his emotional address. “Dad, I love you. All the stuff you went through, man, look at your older son. I did it for you, man.”
He continued: “All the times that you didn’t get to see me. When the times you came to see my games, from not seeing probably two games in high school to seeing me on TV every weekend and come to see me, man. That means so much to me. I know you wanted to be here and you can’t, but trust me, I got you. I’m bringing the trophy home. I love you.”
Now, just months later, they’ll finally get to share a moment they’ve both been waiting for.
Travis Sr. has been serving probation after a 2023 arrest on gun and drug charges. He spent time in detention last fall, missing many of his son’s biggest college moments.
Travis Jr.’s path to the NFL has been anything but typical. He made headlines when he turned down offers from traditional powerhouse programs to play at HBCU Jackson State, following Coach Deion Sanders when few expected such a move from a five-star recruit. When Sanders accepted the head coaching position at Colorado, Hunter followed, proving his commitment wasn’t just to the school but to the coach who believed in his unique abilities.
At Colorado, Hunter continued to distinguish himself as a rare two-way player, showcasing elite skills at both cornerback and wide receiver – positions that typically require completely different skill sets. Scouts have been blown away by his route-running and ability to read the game on defense, calling him one of the draft’s most exciting prospects.
Tonight, as Hunter prepares to enter the professional ranks, he’ll have the emotional support that’s been missing from too many of his milestone moments. After years of watching from a distance, his father will finally see his son’s dream come true.
