NFL rookie Travis Hunter's dad gets ruling on 'special treatment' from judge after gun and drug convictions

Daily Mail​

21-05-2025

Travis Hunter Sr.'s status as the father of an NFL rookie will not help the Heisman Trophy winner's dad get 'special treatment' from Florida 's legal system, a judge said on Tuesday.
Palm Beach County's Honorable Howard Coates Jr. has denied the elder Hunter's request to modify the remainder of his sentence on gun and drug charges. Currently on community control supervision, a highly monitored form of probation, Hunter Sr. recently asked for more freedom so he can mentor his son as he begins his NFL career four hours north in Jacksonville.
Hunter Sr. previously secured permission to attend last month's NFL Draft in Green Bay, where Hunter Jr. went second overall to the Jaguars following a pick swap with the Cleveland Browns.
However, Coates sees the father's latest request as a step too far, as he told Hunter Sr.'s attorney, Bradford Cohen.
'I hear these circumstances have changed, you know, my hat's off to his son,' Coates said, as quoted by USA Today. '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 rejected Coates' claim that the request amounted to a call for special treatment, but the Judge continued to disagree.
'So say you, but probably 99 percent of the public out there that doesn't have an athlete son who's incredibly successful, might look at this and say: 'This sounds like special treatment for the athlete's father,' he said.
Coates previously helped secure a pardon from President Donald Trump for rapper Lil Wayne on a 2021 gun charge. Lil Wayne is also happens to be a friend of Colorado football coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer, Deion Sanders, who coached Hunter in Boulder and at Jackson State.
Furthermore, Hunter Jr. is represented by agent Adie Van Gontard, who has co-founded an agency with Lil Wayne.
Hunter Sr. was arrested in November of 2023 after police in Lantana, Florida pulled him over because his license plate wasn't illuminated, according to court records.
Not only was Hunter Sr. found to be driving without a license, but a subsequent search allegedly revealed drugs and a loaded pistol.
He was charged with illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon following a previous conviction for allegedly selling heroin. Hunter Sr. reached a plea deal in 2024 that reduced his prison sentence to 90 days, with three years' probation.
A cornerback and wide receiver, who could end up playing both positions in the NFL, Hunter is engaged to Leanna Lenee and the couple plans to wed later this month in Tennessee.
Hunter Jr. has recently been praised over an encounter with a woman aboard a United Airlines flight.
Sandy Hawkins Combs was flying home from Denver when she happened to be seated next to Hunter, whom she admittedly did not know.
As Combs detailed in a Facebook post, the 'polite' Hunter offered to help her with her bag and called her 'ma'am.'
'Anyone would be proud to have him as a son or grandson - so polite,' she wrote.
However, it wasn't until other passengers starting greeting him and taking pictures that Combs realized she was sitting next to someone famous.
'I turned and asked him, 'Who am I sitting next to?' I looked at his Jaguar pants, smiled, and asked, 'Are you an athlete?' He smiled and said, 'I'm Travis. Yes, I was drafted by the Jags.' I already told my sons I want his jersey,' she wrote.
'He's so humble and down-to-earth—I would have never guessed he was a professional athlete. JACKSONVILLE JAGS, you did good! I will be buying tickets.'
The post was then publicized on X by reporter Travis Holmes, leading to widespread praise of Hunter Jr..
'Just seems like a great kid,' one fan said.