Travis Hunter has uncharacteristically been away from the Sanders family for too long. As a result, fans cannot help but suspect a rift between the Jaguars star and Coach Prime. Notwithstanding, a family friend of the Sanders has debunked rumors of any beef, noting the many changes Hunter has experienced over the past year.

“Totally a different guy, man,” Deion Sanders’ family friend and Travis Hunter’s representative, Boog Knight, told Philip Dukes on the June 30 episode of the Dukesthescoop show. “He was already a great guy. Now, you’re looking at a guy who’s giving back and pointing to someone that has his DNA… Not only is he killing it with his own, but he is also a light to the kids that come behind him, which is unmatched.

“Travis could not ever have beef with Coach Prime. Travis loves Coach Prime just as much as Coach Prime loves Travis. It’s just that people got to understand, like you said, he’s an adult now. And a lot of things that got him to where he’s at, he hasn’t forgotten about; he doesn’t take it for granted, but he also knows where he’s trying to go,” he added.

The prolonged absence of Travis Hunter from the Sanders family raised concerns among fans, and rightly so. Recently, Deion Sanders organized a leadership retreat for his Colorado players. The retreat saw him invite active professional players to speak with them. Of course, Shedeur Sanders was one of them, and Pittsburgh Steelers safety Jalen Ramsey was another name present. Sadly, Hunter was not there.

But the leadership retreat is just one of the many events where Hunter has been absent. The last time the public knew Hunter had visited Coach Prime was in Texas last June, when the pair were seen fishing together. Ever since, we have seen less of the man who called Deion Sanders a father figure.

However, Hunter has also been dealing with a lot since April 2025, when he was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars. The cornerback relocated to Florida, where he now plays. He also got married to Leanna Lenee a little over a year ago and became a father months later. These major changes would require some time for the 23-year-old to find his balance.

Coupled with these, Hunter has also had to deal with an injury that shut down his rookie NFL season in October. It was a non-contact LCL tear he picked up in practice and has been recovering from ever since.

On his part, Deion Sanders has not changed how he talks about his former two-way star. Just two weeks ago, Coach Prime again called out the Jaguars’ handling of Travis Hunter. The NFL team is not envisioning a complete two-way role for the former Heisman winner. For now, the most important thing for Hunter is his recovery, and he is expected to participate in the training camp.