Travis Hunter arrived in the national spotlight, especially under Coach Prime at Colorado. He played both sides of the ball, as a wide receiver and a defensive back, and fans followed closely how exactly the coaching staff managed his split role.
So when a high-profile figure questions how much practice he got on one side, it draws attention. In that light, Eli Manning’s comment on the ManningCast has sparked backlash. In response to a question about how much of his time Hunter spent on offense vs. defense, asked by Glen Powell, Manning referred to what he had heard from Liam Coen.
“When he was at Colorado, he practiced zero with the offense,” Manning said. “He only practiced defense. They had a special system, where the coaches would signal the formation to him, and signal the route to him. You know, just improvised. Go out there and wing it. He’s still learning, right now, to be a receiver.”
That claim triggered a sharp reaction from Deion Sanders Jr., Coach Prime’s son. On X, Sanders Jr. pushed back directly, telling Eli Manning not to lie. He emphasized that Hunter practiced wide receiver and defensive back equally.
“Don’t let them lie to you Mr Manning, he practiced Wr & DB equally,” Sanders Jr. WROTE.
Don’t let them lie to you Mr Manning, he practiced Wr & DB equally. https://t.co/QjwvpnI9S8
— Deion Sanders Jr (@DeionSandersJr) October 7, 2025
Manning’s comment may have been based on secondhand reports (from Coen) rather than direct evidence or film study. The response from Sanders Jr. signals a strong investment in preserving Hunter’s legacy and the truth about his usage.
The truth likely sits somewhere between extremes: while Hunter may have had unique systems, there is substantial evidence he took offensive reps. The only person who can add more context to this is Liam Coen.
Liam Coen Praised Trevor Lawrence After the Win
Jaguars coach Liam Coen admitted he initially wanted Trevor Lawrence to throw the ball away during the game-winning drive. After Lawrence was stepped on near the goal line and stumbled twice, Coen thought the play was over.
Instead, Lawrence recovered, escaped pressure, and powered into the end zone with 23 seconds left. His gritty scramble sealed Jacksonville’s 31-28 win over Kansas City in dramatic fashion.
“I mean, that’s an unbelievable individual effort,” Coen SAID. “Yeah, we’d love it to be cleaner and just make it a nice, executed play. But at the end of the day, it’s about winning. And I’m proud of the toughness that he showed at the end of that game.”
“Throw it away.” 😂
(via @Jaguars) pic.twitter.com/tP7PDzqzmh
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 7, 2025
The Jaguars once trailed by 14 points in the second quarter. They managed to recover from it and register a 31-28 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
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