Most Pittsburgh Steelers fans are heading into the Saturday night preseason opener hoping to gain some insight into how the 2025 squad will truly look this season. There won’t be a ton of answers, after all, as big-name starters like T.J. Watt, among several others, won’t be playing.
Still, fans will be honed in on their biggest worries - Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu at tackle - and their biggest anticipations - can Roman Wilson make some noise in the WR2 battle? Those curiosities likely won’t be completely put to rest, but Steelers fans are sure to learn something by the end of the night.
But amidst trying to keep an eye on Pittsburgh’s biggest storylines, everyone who tunes into this preseason contest is going to have Travis Hunter in the peripheral at the very least. The No. 2 overall pick and reigning Heisman Trophy winner will suit up for the game in his first taste of NFL action.
Pittsburgh Steelers get front-row seat to NFL’s next unicorn Travis Hunter
Of course, one of the biggest questions heading into the game on the Jaguars’ side was whether Hunter would indeed take his first shot at playing both sides of the ball in the preseason. Jaguars’ head coach Liam Cohen confirmed on Thursday that Hunter will play at wide receiver and cornerback.
Steelers fans will get to see firsthand how Jacksonville’s newest experiment gets started. Anticipation for Hunter’s effort to be a two-way player is palpable league-wide, and it’s the Steelers who get to welcome him into the NFL - unofficially.
Naturally, Hunter won’t be in the game for more than a few series. After all, Hunter’s health in this endeavor is the biggest question mark. Playing both sides of the ball in the Big 12 is one thing; the NFL is another beast. Still, the preseason offers Hunter and the Jags an opportunity to find proof of concept that he can reliably play both sides of the ball.
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Even in a preseason contest, though, the Steelers will look to make Hunter’s first stadium experience tougher than he’d hoped. While Steelers fans won't see newcomers Jalen Ramsey or Darius Slay playing, nor will Joey Porter Jr., key depth corners could see a few reps against Hunter when he’s at receiver. On the other side, Roman Wilson will likely draw the first matchups with Hunter as a defensive back.
This is the Steelers' only scheduled chance to see Hunter in action this season, unless Jacksonville and Pittsburgh defy the odds and meet in the postseason. Otherwise, Steelers fans' next chance to see Hunter will be in 2026 when the Steelers next play the AFC South in the regular season.