Travis Hunter gave the Jacksonville Jaguars both extremes on Sunday, 18 October 2026, and both of them mattered. The second-year two-way player was flagged for having 12 men on the field after jogging off too slowly on a Houston Texans punt in the third quarter at Wembley Stadium — a mistake that wiped out a Houston punt, handed the Texans a fresh set of downs and helped extend their lead to 24-14. Yet by the end of the afternoon, the same player had caught his first touchdown of the season and intercepted C.J. Stroud in the end zone, becoming the first NFL player since 2002 to record a receiving touchdown and an interception in the same game.
The Penalty That Flipped a Punt Into a Turnover
The moment came midway through the second half, and it was as simple as it was damaging. When the Texans sent their punt unit out, Hunter was slow getting off the field. Jacksonville ended up with 12 men on the field, the flag erased the Houston punt entirely, and the Texans kept the ball.
In effect, it functioned as a Jacksonville turnover without a fumble or an interception. Houston used the new life to drive downfield for a touchdown that stretched its lead to 24-14, and the Jaguars’ special teams had nowhere to hide. For a team trying to stay in a divisional road game — even one played an ocean away from either home stadium — giving away a possession through effort, not execution, was the kind of mistake that draws scrutiny.
Nico Collins Got the Better of Him Early
The penalty was not Hunter’s only rough moment. Early in the game, Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud connected with star wide receiver Nico Collins down the sideline, and Collins beat Hunter on the play for a 42-yard completion. The catch — made despite a light drizzle at Wembley — immediately set up Houston’s first touchdown of the game and a 7-0 lead.
Social media reacted fast. Analyst Warren Sharp posted that “Nico Collins cooked Travis Hunter,” while Frank Ammirante wrote that Collins had “absolutely torched” the Jaguars cornerback. Houston fans, who had spent the week hearing that Hunter might lock up their receiving corps, took their own victory laps. One fan predicted Hunter “might be in for a long day.”
For what it is worth, Hunter entered the weekend ranked 21st on Pro Football Network’s CB Impact Metric, and the early returns against Collins were not flattering.
Then Came the Touchdown — His First of the Season
Just as the criticism peaked, Hunter flipped the script. On Jacksonville’s ninth possession, he caught three passes for 40 yards, and the last of them went for a seven-yard touchdown that cut Houston’s lead to 31-28 with under 12 minutes to play.
It was his first scoring catch of the season and the second of his career — and, remarkably, both of his career touchdown catches have now come at Wembley Stadium. The first came a year earlier against the Los Angeles Rams on the same field.
The drive itself showed why the Jaguars keep insisting on his offensive value. His first catch of the series was a 26-yard catch-and-run that moved Jacksonville deep into Houston territory, and he finished the possession in the end zone.
A Defense-First Season — Until Sunday
The touchdown catch carried extra weight because of how this season has gone. The Jaguars have used Hunter sparingly on offense in 2026, making him one of the team’s primary cornerbacks alongside Jarrian Jones, Jourdan Lewis and Montaric Brown. Entering the Texans game, he had logged just 21 offensive snaps all season, including zero in Week 4 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Defensively, injuries at the position pushed his workload the other way. His share of the team’s defensive snaps rose from a career-high 71.4% to 100% in each of the last two games. The result is an ongoing debate about whether Jacksonville should keep splitting him between wide receiver and cornerback or specialize him at one spot — a debate Sunday did little to settle, given that he struggled in coverage at times and still produced game-changing plays on both sides of the ball.
The Interception That Made History
With the Texans driving to put the game away late, Hunter delivered the play of the day. On a Stroud rollout, he picked off the pass in the end zone with just under four minutes remaining.
According to Jaguars PR, that made Hunter just the third player in NFL history to catch a touchdown pass and record an interception in the same game — and the first since Philadelphia Eagles safety Brian Dawkins did it in 2002. For a player drafted second overall in 2025 partly because of his rare two-way ability, it was the kind of stat line that explains the hype even on an afternoon when the hype took some hits.
What It Means for the Jaguars
Whether Hunter’s late heroics were enough to complete the comeback remained the open question as the game wound down, with Jacksonville trailing 31-28 and trying to rally before flying home ahead of a Week 7 bye. What was already clear: the No. 2 overall pick remains the most polarizing roster decision in Jacksonville. One lazy jog off the field cost the Jaguars a possession and seven points. One afternoon at Wembley also produced a touchdown, a historic interception and a reminder of why the Jaguars traded up to get him in the first place.
FAQ
What penalty did Travis Hunter commit against the Texans?
In the third quarter at Wembley Stadium, Hunter was slow getting off the field on a Texans punt, leaving the Jaguars with 12 men on the field. The penalty nullified the Houston punt and effectively worked as a Jacksonville turnover; the Texans then drove for a touchdown to lead 24-14.
Did Travis Hunter score a touchdown against the Texans?
Yes. He caught a seven-yard touchdown late in the game, his first of the season and the second of his career. Both of his career touchdown catches have come at Wembley Stadium in London.
What NFL record did Travis Hunter set or match?
Per Jaguars PR, Hunter became just the third player in NFL history to record a receiving touchdown and an interception in the same game, and the first since Brian Dawkins did it in 2002. He intercepted C.J. Stroud in the end zone with just under four minutes remaining.
How has Jacksonville used Travis Hunter this season?
The Jaguars have used him mostly at cornerback in 2026, with just 21 offensive snaps entering the Texans game. Injuries pushed his defensive snap share from a career-high 71.4% to 100% in each of the last two games.