After drug-related charges led to his father’s incarceration in 2021, Jimmy Horn Jr. was lucky that Deion Sanders was around to offer him stability and direction. Keeping his word that he would always treat him like his own son, Coach Prime famously walked with Horn Jr. on his Senior Day at Colorado in December last year, when no one else from his family was present.
Advertisement
That moment between Sanders and Horn Jr. perfectly illustrates the bond between the two. “That’s something that my people always wanted me to do, accomplish my dreams and be able to finish college… To have somebody walk down there with me, it meant a lot to me,” Horn Jr. said while reflecting on his Senior Day walk.
With his draft stock now on the rise thanks to a standout performance at the NFL Combine, Horn Jr. is drawing a lot of media attention. During a recent appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, the former Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver revealed that his relationship with Coach Prime goes back further than college. He then spoke about the promise Sanders made to his father during his high school recruitment.
“He always told my dad… If I were to come to Jackson State, he’d always take care of me and make sure I’m straight and treat me like one of his own… I didn’t go to Jackson State my first two years of college and it’s like god had a plan. I chose to go to Colorado and everything’s just been going in the right way. Coach Prime has been a man of his word,” said Horn Jr.
Besides providing a safe environment for him to grow as an athlete, Sanders did everything he could to look after Horn Jr. throughout his time in Colorado. He even visited Horn’s father in prison. The NFL Hall of Famer has done for the Horn family way more than what we would expect from a coach.
“He had went and seen my dad. We had good convos going on, good loudness. It was a good little time that we spent with each other for a little minute… He took time out of his schedule to come see my dad, so you know that means a lot too,” added the 22-year-old.
Prime’s greatest gift to the Horn Jr. was undoubtedly the role he played in ensuring that the former South Florida prospect would hear his name called at the NFL Draft this year.
Sanders is expected to make an appearance at the 2025 NFL Draft. While he may initially show up to support his son, Shedeur, on the first day of the draft, Coach Prime plans to stick around for as long as it takes to see his protege Horn Jr.’s dreams come true too.
