Why Did Travis Hunter Jr.’s Dad Miss Heisman Trophy Ceremony?

On December 15, 2024By Littum

Travis Hunter Jr. from Palm Beach County was named the winner of the 2024 Heisman Trophy on Saturday night in New York City.

Hunter Jr., a two-way superstar with Colorado Buffaloesgave an emotional victory speech thanking the coaches, family and supporters who helped him on his journey to the top individual award in college football.

Hunter’s comments to his father were perhaps the most emotional, which he acknowledged Travis Hunter Sr.who were not in the audience for Saturday’s ceremony.

“I want to say something to my dad. He’s not here and wasn’t able to make it, but I know you’re watching TV,” Hunter said. “Dad, I love you. For all the things you went through man… Now look at your oldest son. I did it for you, man.

“All the times you didn’t get to see me or the times you came to see my games. From not seeing two games in high school to watching me on TV every weekend and coming to see me. It means so much for me.

“I know you wanted to be here and you can’t, but trust me, I got you. I’m taking home the trophy. I love you.”

Here’s a look at Travis Hunter Sr.’s decision not to attend Saturday night’s Heisman Trophy ceremony and a look at his background in Palm Beach County:

Where is Travis Hunter Jr.’s father?

Travis Hunter Sr., the father of the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner, elected to stay in Boynton Beach for Saturday’s ceremony.

“I don’t want to go,” he said in a recent interview with the Palm Beach Post. “I want to be there when he gets married and when he is appointed. I want to watch this from home.”

Travis Sr. spoke about her son on Dec. 5, the day he was released from the Palm Beach County West Detention Center in Belle Glade. Travis Sr. was sentenced in late September to 90 days in connection with an arrest in 2023. He was released about three weeks early.

For Travis Sr. was always part of the plan to see his son raise the most coveted sporting trophy in this country.

“I really don’t feel any different because I always know he could win if he set his mind to win,” Travis Sr. said. “He’s always had that … since he started playing football when he was 4 years old.

“At the end of the day, I’d always tell him he’s the best player anyway, so he’s got to go out there and play like that. Every time I’d tell him he’d go out there and play like whether he was the best player in the world.”

Travis Sr., 39, often attended his son’s games at Jackson State and Colorado, where Travis Jr. has emerged as a generational talent.

While at the adult facility, he was able to watch most of his son’s games.

“Yeah, it hurt,” he said of not being able to attend Travis Jr.’s games in the second half of the season. “But it always hurts if I don’t go to a game.”

Who is Travis Hunter Sr.?

Travis Hunter Sr. was a football and track star for Boynton Beach High School in the early 2000s.

As a 15-year-old in 2001, Hunter Sr. clocked electronically in the 100 meter sprint in 10.82 seconds.

In 2004, he set the Boynton Beach school record in the 4×100 meter relay (41.63s) with Odiles Jeune, Jodson Noel and Cameron Rolle. The record stands to this day despite near misses by relay teams featuring future Heisman Trophy winner and unanimous NFL MVP Lamar Jackson in 2014 and 2015.

Travis Hunter Sr.’s football exploits made use of his impressive speed on offense, defense and special teams, even when the Tigers weren’t the most competitive team.

In 2004, Travis Hunter Sr. scored. an 82-yard kick return and a 46-yard pick-six against Martin County to help Boynton Beach snap a 14-game losing streak.

Hunter Sr., a 2005 Boynton Beach High graduate, had aspirations of his own to play college football. He told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel in 2008 that he planned to join a JUCO roster at Kansas after high school, but held out because of his children.

Hunter Sr. instead played semipro football in the Florida Football Alliance and Southern States Football League, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year for the latter in 2007.

“I’m trying to chase a dream,” said Travis Hunter, Sr., then 22. “I’d be willing to go to the arena first and I’ll go from there. I’ll see who picks me up. I’ll go to the Canadian League or the NFL, who wants me.

“I just want to play ball. I was supposed to go to Dodge, Kansas (after graduation), but I had two kids, so I couldn’t leave them.”

Eric J. Wallace is deputy sports editor for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at [email protected].