Travis Hunter delivered on the promise that made him the No. 2 overall pick, flashing his rare two-way talents during the Jacksonville Jaguars’ preseason matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers. But the night belonged to kicker Cam Little, whose jaw-dropping 70-yard field goal rewrote the distance record for any NFL game, preseason or otherwise.
Hunter Shows Why Jacksonville Took the Gamble
Expected to juggle duties at wide receiver and cornerback this season, Hunter spent most of his debut working the offensive side of the ball. He logged snaps on 11 of the Jaguars’ first 12 first-team plays—a solid 92% clip—while sitting out the second-string offense entirely.
Jacksonville’s opening drive told the story of Hunter’s night. On third-and-4, he hauled in his first NFL catch—a modest 3-yarder from Trevor Lawrence that moved the chains. A 7-yard grab followed, though a flag wiped it clean off the stat sheet. Then came a clutch 6-yard reception on third-and-12, keeping the drive alive and setting up a scoring chance. By the time that series wrapped up, Hunter had logged two catches for 9 yards across 10 of 11 offensive snaps.
The defensive side of his game remained mostly on hold. While the first-team defense took the field for one series, Hunter watched from the sideline. He did get his chance with the second unit, playing every down through their next two possessions.
Little’s Monster Kick Electrifies TIAA Bank Field
Hunter’s solid debut grabbed early headlines, but Little’s heroics before halftime sent the crowd into a frenzy. With seconds ticking away in the second quarter, the second-year kicker uncorked a 70-yard bomb that split the uprights, cutting Pittsburgh’s advantage to 14-9 and igniting pandemonium on the Jacksonville sideline. His teammates mobbed him in celebration—a scene that captured the pure joy of witnessing history.
To put Little’s achievement in context: Justin Tucker owns the official NFL record with his 66-yard rocket for Baltimore against Detroit back in 2021. Little’s kick sailed 4 yards farther, though the preseason setting means it won’t claim a spot in the official record books.
Photo of Travis Hunter by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images
