Jimmy Horn Jr. began his second college football season with a fantastic performance in Colorado Buffaloes’ opener last night. However, the stellar showing was a bittersweet moment for the WR since his father, who has been incarcerated, was absent.
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Fortunately, Horn Jr. has found support in his coach Deion Sanders. Coach Prime, who has been guiding the wide receiver through this challenging phase, said,
“Jimmy’s playing for his pop, man. Jimmy just came back from court seeing his father’s sentence. He gonna turn around and flip it and give you that?…That keeps him going because he’s trying to make it right with pops when he gets out.”
The young WR’s father has reportedly been incarcerated on multiple drug-related charges following an incident on November 2, 2021. The Seminole County Court reportedly handed Horn Sr.’s sentence on August 14, 2024.
Horn Sr., who also played football as a youngster at Seminole High School, has been the figure behind Jimmy’s journey as a player. A single father, Horn Sr. has faced quite a bit of struggles in life, taking on odd jobs like trucking and hairdressing to provide for his son.
They lived in Sanford, Florida, where Horn Sr. imbibed values such as hard work, discipline, and perseverance in his son. These early lessons helped Jimmy navigate his tough neighborhood and provided him with the strength to pursue football from a young age. For the Buffs player, football became an escape from his challenging life.
Since then, Horn Jr. has been working up the ranks in football. And now, under Coach Prime, he is growing in stature as a player.
Sanders is a father figure to Horn Jr.
Based on the visuals of how Sanders interacts with his players, it’s clear that Coach Prime has been a father figure to them. And, Deion is concerned over Horn Jr.’s situation.
Speaking to the press recently, Deion had confirmed that he and the team are doing their best to not let Jimmy feel the absence of his father, whose time of return from incarceration is currently unclear.
The magnitude of his wide receiver’s pain was felt by Sanders when he got in touch with Horn Sr. The conversation with him also made Deion realize that Horn Sr. is a changed man.
“I just wish to God you could see in your heart an opportunity that he could come out of incarceration and have a chance to resume his fatherly responsibility, in which he was very, very good at,” the coach had said.
“He has repented of what has transpired, and he is truly a different man,” Sanders continued.
Jimmy is making his father proud despite his absence. He tallied 7 receptions for 198 yards and one touchdown in the opener for Buffs. His biggest catch of the game was a 69-yard reception. If he keeps this up, Horn Jr.’s stock will rise significantly, positioning him as a promising prospect in the pros.
