Travis Hunter threatens with retirement if asked to play either offensive or defensive

Travis Hunter made the headlines as he made an announcement that has taken fans and critics by surprise. He recently shared that if he is not allowed to play both defense and offense, he will retire from the game. Fans have had a mixed reaction to the news. While some have supported his firm decision, others question whether he is a team player. With weeks leading up to the drafting, it will be interesting to watch if his statement would impact the way events unfold. The 21-year-old, however, continues to be confident in the sport as a player who can nail both the offensive, as well, the defensive.

Travis Hunter shares that he would retire if not allowed to play offensive and defensive

Travis Hunter says he would rather retire than not be able to play both WR and CB in the #NFL pic.twitter.com/7NV5KLkmQe

— NFL Rumors (@nflrums) April 15, 2025

In a recent interview with CBS Sports , Travis Hunter opened up about wanting to play on either side of the sport. When asked if he would choose either, he shared, "It's never playing football again." He continued to share, "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."

Talking about how he has made his mark both on offense and defense, the 21-year-old shared, "I just feel very confident in myself, and I got a competitive spirit that I can do whatever I put my mind to, and I feel like I can do it."

🚨BREAKING: TRAVIS HUNTER SAYS HE WILL RETIRE IF THE #NFL TEAM THAT DRAFTS HIM DOES NOT LET HIM PLAY OFFENSE AND DEFENSE.

“It’s never playing football again.” - When asked about if he’s not allowed to do both

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(Via CBS) pic.twitter.com/DOnaxNMIfb

— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) April 15, 2025

The official handle of MLFootball shared the news on their X handle, "BREAKING: TRAVIS HUNTER SAYS HE WILL RETIRE IF THE #NFL TEAM THAT DRAFTS HIM DOES NOT LET HIM PLAY OFFENSE AND DEFENSE. “It’s never playing football again.” - When asked if he’s not allowed to do both ... (Via CBS)" The social media post quickly became viral with fans supporting his decision in the comments.

A user wrote, "Tbf it’d be gross negligence to not utilize him on both sides of the ball." On the other hand, others were left unsure about the maturity of his decision. A user wrote, "Man, he’s hurting his draft stock with comments like that. Show you’re a team player and ready to step up wherever the team needs you." Another wrote, "If I can’t play both I’ll play neither forever. Mature stance." Another user wrote, "He can retire and the game will continue like he was never there."


Also Read: Modern two-way NFL players are rare - but Travis Hunter says he's ready to change that