The Carolina Panthers waived rookie wide receiver and return specialist Jimmy Horn Jr. on Tuesday, just three days after a critical special teams miscue in the team's season-opening tie against the Chicago Bears, according to Buffaloes Wire.
Horn, a sixth-round pick out of Colorado in the 2025 NFL Draft, had positioned himself as Carolina's primary return man following a strong training camp. But his tenure with the Panthers unraveled quickly on Saturday, when he muffed a punt with the game tied 21-21 midway through the second quarter. Chicago recovered the loose ball and converted the turnover into points, a swing that proved pivotal in a game that ended in a 24-24 tie.
Whether the muffed punt directly triggered the roster move remains unclear, but it unquestionably simplified the decision for Carolina's front office. Bears head coach Ben Johnson afterward credited punter Tory Taylor with executing a "banana ball" — a punt that starts toward the sideline before curving back to the middle of the field using side spin. The deceptive trajectory appeared to disrupt Horn's tracking and timing on the catch.
In his brief professional career, Horn recorded 11 receptions for 108 yards and added eight carries for 69 yards out of the backfield. His collegiate résumé was far more extensive: across stints at Colorado and South Florida, he totaled 162 receptions for 1,967 yards and 13 total touchdowns.
The waiver places Horn on the NFL's transaction wire, where any of the league's 31 other teams can submit a claim. If he goes unclaimed, he will become a free agent and can sign with any club.
Background of this event
Special teams volatility has long been a defining pressure point for NFL rookies fighting for roster spots. Return specialists occupy a precarious niche: their margin for error is razor-thin, and a single high-leverage mistake can outweigh weeks of strong practice performances. The Panthers' decision reflects a broader league trend in which front offices prioritize ball security above explosiveness when evaluating young returners — particularly early in the season, when coaches are still calibrating trust. Carolina's willingness to move on from a draft pick this quickly also underscores how roster flexibility and immediate accountability have become operating principles for teams navigating the compressed window between Week 1 and the start of divisional play.
Horn now enters a familiar limbo for late-round picks: waiting on waivers while weighing potential practice-squad opportunities. For the Panthers, the move clears a roster spot as the team regroups following a tie that left lingering questions about special teams execution.
