Deion Sanders Fires Back at Eli Manning’s Travis Hunter Practice Report

The Travis Hunter era with the Colorado Buffaloes might be over, but that hasn’t stopped his name from surfacing in unexpected ways.

In his first Monday Night Football appearance, the rookie two-way star turned heads with a breakout performance that helped the Jacksonville Jaguars upset the Kansas City Chiefs. But as impressive as his night was, it was an in-game comment from Eli Manning that stirred conversations among Colorado fans.

Oct 6, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) is introduced before a game against the Kansas City Chiefs at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

During ESPN’s ManningCast, Manning said Hunter “had zero practice with the offense” during his time in Boulder, citing conversations with Jaguars coach Liam Coen. Manning described a system where coaches would signal Hunter’s routes to him on game day, and said that Hunter essentially improvised as a receiver.

It was a surprising claim, especially given how much of Hunter’s two-way play was documented during his time at Colorado. On Tuesday, Deion Sanders wasted no time firing back at the report.

Sanders Sets the Record Straight

Sep 12, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders looks on from the sideline during the first half against the Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

“That was a lie,” Sanders said frankly. “Travis Hunter played offense and defense. We started out with the ones on offense going for the first four or five reps, then he went over and played defense the next four or five reps, and he did it the whole practice. You know we have Well Off Media, Reach The People, and Neely; come on, man.”

Sanders makes a fair point. Few programs have more publicly available practice footage than Colorado. Between in-house media entities like Well Off Media and Reach the People, nearly every step of Hunter’s time in Boulder was documented. That’s what made Manning’s report so striking — the evidence to the contrary has been online for several years.

During the game, Darius Sanders of Reach The People Media reposted a clip of Manning’s comments with a pointed response: “I’ve posted hundreds of videos that prove otherwise.”

I’ve posted hundreds of videos that prove otherwise https://t.co/xjOH9vUmuD
— The Darius Sanders (@KingDarius_NS) October 7, 2025

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Liam Coen Tries to Clarify

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen answers questions after the Jaguar’s 12th NFL training camp session at the Miller Electric Center, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The source of Manning’s comments appeared to be a misunderstanding. Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show Tuesday, Jaguars coach Liam Coen clarified his remarks to Eli regarding Hunter.

“He practiced on offense at Colorado; it was just primarily defense,” Coen explained. “He’d go out and look at the signals from the sidelines, which that’s what they did; they were a no-huddle operation. So I think he practiced on offense, just not very much. It was way more on defense. He got in the walk-throughs on offense, and look, they used him and made him a Heisman Trophy winner.”

"What's the [number of plays] on this, I can't tell you. ... [Travis Hunter's] somebody we got to continue to get the ball to."

—@Jaguars HC Liam Coen on if Travis Hunter will get more snaps 👀

(via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/MP7ymKLhLv
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) October 7, 2025

Coen’s comments didn’t exactly line up with Sanders’ description of daily practice routines, but they did soften Manning’s initial statement, framing it as more of a miscommunication than a blatant and purposeful lie.

Hunter Shines on the NFL Stage

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) scrambles for yards in the fourth quarter during a Monday Night NFL football game at EverBank Stadium, Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug EngleFlorida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Regardless of how much practice Hunter had on either side of the ball while at Colorado, one thing is clear — Travis Hunter continues to thrive in the NFL. On Monday night, he recorded a career-high 64 total snaps, 39 on offense and 25 on defense, making a noticeable impact on both sides of the ball.

Offensively, Hunter caught three passes for 64 yards, including a spectacular 44-yard highlight reel grab over two defenders and a slippery 12-yard catch-and-run that showcased his elite athleticism as he danced past two would-be tacklers for the first down.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) hauls in a reception against Kansas City Chiefs safety Bryan Cook (6) during the third quarter of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jacksonville Jaguars edged the Kansas City Chiefs 31-28. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

On defense, he added two tackles and a big pass breakup on third down, helping Jacksonville hold off Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in a statement win for first year coach Coen.

Hunter’s NFL rise is just beginning, and while Coen and the Jaguars adjust to his rare two-way role, this brief media storm underscored how easily stories can take on a life of their own—and how quickly Sanders will step in to set the record straight.