“He’s Been Supporting Me as a Father Figure”: Jimmy Horn Jr. Highlights Deion Sanders’ Role in His Life After Father’s Incarceration

The larger NFL media can try to tarnish Deion Sanders’ name all they want, but the players that he works with always come back with the same opinion of the Colorado Buffaloes head coach: he’s the man. Colorado senior wideout Jimmy Horn Jr., who is by no means a star and did not declare for the 2025 NFL Draft, was just the latest to come and sing his coach’s praises.

Horn contributed 37 catches for 441 yards and one touchdown this season, so he’s not exactly the kind of huge talent you’d expect to receive special treatment. Thankfully, that doesn’t matter to coaches like Sanders. Horn, whose father is currently incarcerated, said that Sanders has had just as big an impact on him as a man as he has as a football player.

“He’s affected me a lot. On a personal level, my pops is incarcerated, and he’s been supporting me as a father figure through life and just teaching me the game of life. And then in football, I know he’s talked to a lot of these coaches and he’s trying his hardest to get me in that door. On the field, he tries to get me the ball so I can show my game.”

Sanders has not only instilled important personality traits for football in his athletes—like hard work, toughness, and determination—he’s imbued them with self-confidence both on and off the field. Horn says that Coach Prime’s core values include ensuring his players “believe” in themselves while always remaining respectful.

“A core value I can really see is just be yourself, whether they like you or not. And just be respectful too, manners go a long ways.”

Sanders has been catching some flak for saying that he intended to be heavily involved in where his sons end up in the NFL. And yet, that seems to be nothing more than a symptom of his overarching motto: help his athletes find the best situation for themselves once they leave Boulder. And that’s whether they’re his own kin, a Heisman Trophy winner like Travis Hunter, or a depth guy like Horn. That was never more clear than on Senior Day.

Senior Day is a day when players run out onto the field with their parents. That meant that this year, Horn was left in the lurch. His father was doing time, so he asked Coach Prime to step in. Sanders didn’t hesitate even for a second. What resulted was one of the most heartwarming displays across the entire 2024 NCAA football season.

“Jimmy is like my kid, I love him that much. We’ve talked about some personal things throughout his couple seasons here. I want to go with him Sunday to see his father as well. But he just turned around and asked me. So that’s how that transpired. And I said, ‘You don’t have to ask me twice. I got you. I got you.'”

Deion Sanders’ own NFL-bound sons, Shedeur and Shilo, have spoken on the positive impact being coached by their father has had on them. Horn has clearly seen the same benefits. As has 2024 Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, who has also referred to Coach Prime as a “father figure” on more than one occasion.