Shaquille O’Neal has long been one of the most recognizable Dallas Cowboys fans in sports, proudly backing the franchise through thick and thin.
But the NBA legend appears to be singing a different tune after his latest visit to Jacksonville, where he was seen DJing downtown and posing with a Travis Hunter Jaguars jersey.
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Travis Hunter makes Shaq ditch Dallas
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft hasn’t even taken a professional snap yet, but his impact off the field is already proving to be significant.
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And if Shaq’s change of heart is any indication, Travis Hunter might be ushering in more than just a new era for the Jaguars, he could be reshaping NFL fandom altogether.
O’Neal has made no secret of his admiration for Hunter, who was named the 2024 AP College Player of the Year before entering the league.
During a previous episode of The Big Podcast, Shaq openly wondered, “Is he big enough to play both sides?” referring to Hunter’s two-way prowess at Colorado. Evidently, the answer he found was enough to flip his team allegiance.
On social media, O’Neal appeared in two collaborative posts proudly holding up Hunter’s No. 12 jersey.
One post came directly from the Jaguars’ official account, and another even featured a rare team-up with the NFL itself.
“Big Travis Hunter fan. Literally,”Shaq wrote, making his support crystal clear.
It’s a bold move considering his long-standing Cowboys fandom.
“This is Shaq, the biggest Cowboys fan ever,” he once said, pleading with team owner Jerry Jones to sign Leonard Fournette during a rough patch in the season.
“Stop messing around, Jerry Jones… he’s still 29,”Shaq said at the time, showcasing just how passionately he engaged with the team.
Despite once saying, “I don’t switch-I’ve always been a Cowboy fan, ups and downs,” the allure of Hunter’s magnetism seems to have finally tipped the scales.
With Hunter’s rising stardom bringing music legends like Lil Wayne to the draft and attracting massive brand opportunities to Jacksonville, it’s clear this rookie’s influence extends far beyond the field.
As Jaguars GM James Gladstone put it, “Travis, in fact, as a player, is rare… he elevates not only this football team, not only this city, but the sport itself.”
