“You're almost arguing for special treatment”: Judge declines Travis Hunter Sr.'s request to reduce sentence despite son's NFL success

Travis Hunter Sr., the father of Jacksonville Jaguars first-rounder Travis Hunter Jr., was denied a legal motion to lessen his criminal sentence in Florida, despite allegations that doing so would enable him to fund his son's growing National Football League (NFL) career. Palm Beach County Judge Howard Coates dismissed the motion, indicating it seemed to request ‘special treatment’ because the younger Hunter stands out in professional football.
Judge holds NFL affiliation does not warrant leniency for Travis Hunter Sr.
Palm Beach County's courtroom witnessed a high-profile hearing in court on Tuesday as Travis Hunter Sr. asked for a reduction in the community control supervision aspect of his sentence, following a 2023 arrest on drug and gun charges. His lawyer, Bradford Cohen, contended that Hunter Sr. now had stable housing and employment at his disposal by having his son, Travis Hunter Jr., who just signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars following a stellar college football career at Colorado, including a Heisman Trophy victory.
But Judge Howard Coates questioned the motion. Even as he noted the younger Hunter's accomplishment, he doubted the justice of relaxing the terms of a sentence simply because a family member is famous. “This is special treatment,” Coates said at the hearing, USA Today reported.
Hunter Sr. was sentenced to 90 days in jail and three years of probation, one year under community control supervision, which is a type of house arrest. He earlier pleaded guilty to possession of drugs and possession of a firearm illegally as a convicted felon, connected to a traffic stop in Lantana, Florida, where the police found a pistol, drugs, and a loaded magazine in his car.
While Travis Hunter Jr.'s quick ascent—from Colorado Buffaloes star to No. 2 overall NFL Draft pick—has generated national interest, the judge was adamant that judicial decisions cannot be swayed. “I hear these circumstances have changed, you know, my hat’s off to his son,” Coates said. “I don’t know that changes the father’s situation for me. In fact, it’s given me some concern that you’re almost arguing for special treatment.”
Cohen stood by his argument, pointing to shifts in Hunter Sr.'s living arrangements and access to employment. “I’m not, judge, and I’ll tell you why,” Cohen said. “If someone was to win the lottery and someone was to get a new job, if someone was to move to a different neighborhood, all those situational changes aren’t asking for favoritism whatsoever. What I’m saying is his situation has changed in that his son is able to employ him. His son is able to give him stable housing and a stable environment. Those things are not asking for special treatment, judge. Those are simply issues that arose that changed the situation of an individual.”
In spite of the denial, the court did grant a temporary exception: an exception for Hunter Sr. to go to Tennessee for his son's wedding that was going to be held soon. He had already been given permission to travel to Green Bay, Wisconsin, for the 2025 NFL Draft at which Travis Hunter Jr. was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars following a trade with the Cleveland Browns.
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he court's decision highlights a clear demarcation line between personal achievement and judicial equity. As much as Travis Hunter Jr. is perhaps one of the brightest young stars of the NFL, Judge Howard Coates was adamant that his father's legal responsibilities should always remain in line with the law, irrespective of his son's growing popularity.