Former Buff Jimmy Horn Jr cut from Carolina Panthers
There is little room for error in professional sports, especially for an NFL special teams player.
The Carolina Panthers cut former Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Jimmy Horn Tuesday.
The move came after the Panthers’ week one matchup against the Chicago Bears, where they lost 59-37 at home in the highest-scoring season opener in NFL history.
On Sunday, Horn muffed a key punt in the loss that led to a Bears field goal in the second quarter, a costly mistake for a young player recently handed return duties. Panthers head coach Dave Canales pointed to the miscue afterward, noting that turnovers and penalties cost the team and that they need to play smarter moving forward.
Horn spent two seasons at Colorado after transferring from South Florida, where he earned first-team All-AAC honors in 2022. In 2023, his first year in Boulder under Deion Sanders, Horn broke out with 58 catches for 567 yards and six touchdowns, making him the Buffaloes' third-leading receiver and their top scoring threat through the air.
He followed that up as a senior in 2024 with 37 receptions for 441 yards, though a late-season injury limited him to 11 games. He also chipped in as a return man for Colorado, piling up over 700 all-purpose yards as a senior between his receiving, punt return, and kickoff return work. Carolina selected him in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Last season on the Panthers, Horn played just under 150 snaps, but established himself as a dual-threat option. He caught 11 passes for 108 yards and added 68 yards on the ground.
This season, Horn carved out a role as the Panthers' lead punt and kick returner after injuries opened the door on the roster. Against the Bears, he played 14 snaps on offense in addition to his return work.
Following the roster move, Carolina turned its attention to signing linebacker Tyrel Dodson off the practice squad, a corresponding move that comes on the heels of allowing a franchise-worst point total to open the 2026 season.
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