Panthers’ Jaycee Horn took a hard stand against showboating Broncos. That’s leadership
Jaycee Horn felt the Panthers had been disrespected.
Carolina’s top cornerback was so frustrated by the Denver Broncos’ attempts to run up the score with two fourth-down trick plays in the fourth quarter, he started to unload on the home team’s players during the victory formation. Horn knew the 28-14 loss at Empower Field at Mile High on Sunday was largely due to the Panthers getting outplayed by Sean Payton and his Broncos, but the fourth-year cornerback couldn’t hold back his angst.
He was livid that the Broncos tried to rub the Panthers’ faces in their own mess.
“They can win in whatever style they want, but I felt like it was just disrespectful,” Horn said Monday. “And that was just what it was. We’re focused on New Orleans now. I’m really not that caught up into that specific moment, it’s just I felt it was disrespectful. Whatever happened, happened after the game, and we’re moving on.”
While Horn was a caught on camera jawing toward the sideline — seemingly at Payton — Horn said that his rant wasn’t meant for anyone in particular. Payton addressed Horn’s end-of-game tirade on Sunday by acknowledging that Horn’s father, Joe, played for him during their shared New Orleans Saints tenures in the mid-2000s.
But Horn said his frustration wasn’t just about Payton’s extra zeal in the play-calling department.
“It wasn’t necessarily directed at him,” Horn said. The telecast “didn’t show that before they knelt the ball, I was going back and forth with (their) players on the sideline. .... They have every right to win in style or however they want to do that. But I’m allowed to have my opinion on that, too. And I just felt it was disrespectful. And so, after the game, I was just going back and forth with (their) players, and Coach Payton just got in the middle of it. But it wasn’t no banter back and forth between us.”
Horn’s fiery reaction at the end of the game drew praise from Panthers fans on social media.
The Panthers, who are in the middle of a five-game losing streak, have been outscored 176-75 over the past five weeks. It’s hard to feel like the bleeding will stop any time soon, and supporters want to see some grit from the players amid a rough stretch.
Horn, by standing up to the Broncos’ showboating, displayed that desired tenacity.
On Monday, Panthers head coach Dave Canales and rookie wideout Jalen Coker both named Horn as a player who has stepped up in a leadership role — especially with Austin Corbett, Derrick Brown and Shaq Thompson all lost for the season.
Horn, who has only played in eight regular-season games twice in his career, is embracing that added responsibility.
“This year is really probably the biggest, I guess, as a leader — like the most that’s been on my plate, just because I’m a lead by example-type guy,” Horn said. “And I guess, just with Derrick going down and Shaq going down, the defense just needed somebody to step up, so I just try to be a little more vocal than usual.”
Along with managing to stay healthy through the first half of the season, Horn is having a career year in Carolina. Following the loss to Denver, Horn has produced 34 tackles (2 for loss), nine pass breakups and one interception.
According to Pro Football Focus, he has 17 stops, which ranks fourth among his position. His breakup total also ranks fourth among cornerbacks, according to ESPN.
“I don’t really think about it too much,” Horn said about his individual success. “Just cause, the season isn’t really going how we want it to, in terms of just losing games. So, more so, my focus is on figuring out what we need to do as a defense and as a team to win football games.
“I understand that I’m having a good season — but I don’t really have time to think about that. I’m worrying about trying to win games.”
The Panthers picked up Horn’s fifth-year option prior to the NFL draft in April. The move guarantees Horn a projected $12.47 million salary in 2025, which would be the final year of his rookie contract.
As one of the few bright spots for a 1-7 squad, it’s natural to wonder about his future, especially as a rare value piece among the roster. But Horn, as the Nov. 5 trade deadline approaches, is only focused getting that elusive second win of the season for Carolina.
“I’m just worried about winning football games right now,” Horn said. “I’m not worried about trade news or anything like that.”
This story was originally published October 29, 2024 at 6:30 AM.
