Is Travis Hunter playing tonight? Jaguars rookie's status explored for preseason opener vs Steelers

Jacksonville Jaguars fans have been eager to see rookie Travis Hunter in action since the team selected him with the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL draft in April. It appears they will finally get their chance on Saturday when they face the Pittsburgh Steelers in their preseason opener.

Hunter will play both defense and offense in Saturday's preseason game, Jaguars head coach Liam Coen announced on Thursday.

In addition to the former five-star prospect, Coen also announced that quarterback Trevor Lawrence and every other starter will play on Saturday. But how the game unfolds on Friday night will determine how long they play.

“Everybody's going to play in this game. A lot of the guys want to play,” Coen said on Thursday. “Two new systems on both sides of the ball. You can do whatever you want, but everything leans that way in probably being the best thing for our team right now.”

The game against the Steelers is the next step in the Jags' preparations for the 2025 NFL season. The team will also face the New Orleans Saints and the Miami Dolphins in two other preseason matchups.

Travis Hunter is anticipated to play a significant role in Jacksonville's offensive and defensive plans this season. He had already stated his desire to line up at both wide receiver and cornerback in the NFL before being selected by the Jaguars, just as he had done when playing for the Colorado Buffaloes in college.

Hunter ended his final season in college with 96 receptions for 1,258 yards and 15 offensive touchdowns. While playing defense, he also had four interceptions, 11 pass deflections, and 36 total tackles. His outstanding success at Colorado earned him the 2024 Heisman Trophy.

How to watch the Steelers vs. Jaguars Week 1 preseason game

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Jacksonville Jaguars' preseason campaigns will kick off today at EverBank Stadium. Fans of the Steelers will not get the opportunity to watch quarterback Aaron Rodgers in today's game, as coach Mike Tomlin confirmed, but there are still a lot of things to look out for during the game.

There will be no national coverage of the Steelers vs. Jaguars preseason game, which kicks off at 7:00 p.m. ET. Instead, FOX 30 (WJAX) in Jacksonville and CBS 2 (KDKA) in Pittsburgh will broadcast it locally. Another alternative is to watch via streaming services like NFL+ or FuboTV.

Game details

Date and Time: Saturday, Aug. 9 at 7:00 p.m. ET

Location: EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville, Florida

TV: CBS 2 (Pittsburgh), FOX 30 (WJAX)

Live Streaming: NFL+, FuboTV