The Carolina Panthers waived Jimmy Horn Jr. on Tuesday, a move that opened a roster spot for inside linebacker Tyrel Dodson and ended the wide receiver's time with the organization a few months after they selected him in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. The decision came shortly after Carolina's loss to the Chicago Bears, a game in which Horn muffed his first punt-return opportunity in the second quarter with the score tied at 21, giving Chicago possession and shifting momentum in the Bears' favor.
The release drew an immediate response from Deion Sanders, who coached Horn at Colorado and has remained close with the young receiver. Speaking publicly on Wednesday, Sanders said he reached out to Horn directly after the news broke.
"I made some calls to him, immediately," Sanders said. "I love Jimmy. Jimmy's a great, great kid."
Sanders, who has never been shy about defending his former players, made clear he disagreed with the decision even as he acknowledged the on-field mistake that preceded it.
"I don't understand, and I hate questioning management because I'm not there, but this kid is a great human being," Sanders said. "He dropped the punt. Okay, I get it. I understand. But if you just wanted to get rid of him, it wasn't about character."
Horn's connection to the Sanders family runs deeper than the coach-player relationship. He has referred to Shedeur Sanders as his brother since their days together in Boulder, and the two entered the NFL through different organizations in the 2025 draft, with Shedeur landing with the Cleveland Browns. Their friendship has remained intact through the transition to professional football.
That bond was on display during training camp when Horn was asked about Shedeur's chances of winning Cleveland's quarterback competition. At the time, Browns head coach Todd Monken had not yet named his starter for the regular season, and Horn made his preference clear while keeping his focus on his own responsibilities.
"I pray my boy do win that competition," Horn said during camp. "Right now, I'm worried about our season, what we got going on. But I pray my boy will win whatever they've got going on."
Horn's departure from Carolina leaves the Panthers with five wide receivers on their 53-man roster: Brycen Tremayne, Tetairoa McMillan, Jalen Coker, Xavier Legette and John Metchie III. Carolina's initial Week 2 depth chart indicated that Metchie would take over the return duties previously handled by Horn, a sign that the team had already planned for life without him in that role.
The timing of the waiver adds another layer to an already busy period for the Sanders family. Colorado opened its 2026 season with two wins, and Shedeur Sanders continues to compete for the starting quarterback job in Cleveland, where he has been working through minicamp and training camp under Monken. His path to QB1 has been the subject of ongoing debate, with analysts questioning whether he is ready for the role.
For Horn, the sudden end of his time in Carolina represents a setback after being drafted just months ago. The Panthers' decision to move on so quickly, driven at least in part by a single special teams mistake, has drawn scrutiny from those who know him best. Sanders' public defense of Horn's character suggests the receiver will not lack for advocates as he looks for his next opportunity.
The Panthers, meanwhile, move forward with a reshaped receiver room and Metchie handling returns. Horn's next destination remains unclear.
According to Yahoo Sports.