Jimmy Horn Jr. had to wait a long time for his opportunity. After being a healthy scratch for the opening four games of the campaign, the Carolina Panthers finally got him involved in Week 5 against the Miami Dolphins.
This is the moment Horn had been waiting for. The sixth-round pick was patient, developing behind the scenes and getting mental reps from the sidelines on game days. He was always going to be a work in progress, but the Panthers needed a spark on offense after crumbling to another woeful defeat at the New England Patriots.
All eyes were on Horn to see how he would fare. As it turned out, the former Colorado star made a case the Panthers can't ignore.
Jimmy Horn Jr. quickly proved his dependability to the Carolina Panthers
With the game on the line and the Panthers needing to convert on fourth down to keep their drive going, quarterback Bryce Young targeted Horn for only the third time in the contest. He came down with a magnificent catch, and the magnitude of the moment wasn't lost on the wideout when discussing it after the game.
"Oh, it was a crucial catch, it was fourth down and I just had to make the play. That's all, that's how it was. I just had to make the play. It was very big, you know, dealing with all the injuries and stuff going on. I just had to fill in the role so it won't be no drop off. You're only as strong as your weakest link. I kind of had a slight clue it might be coming to me. But the concept that I had, I just had to win, you know, so that's what I went and did. The way the defender was on me, in my head, I'm like I got to win, regardless. It's fourth down, that's the money down. You got to get it."Jimmy Horn Jr. via Panthers.com
The Panthers are opening Jalen Coker's 21-day return window this week. Xavier Legette is back, and Tetairoa McMillan is a superstar. Even so, Carolina has to find ways to get Horn more involved moving forward.
Horn proved he can come through when it counts. The fact that Young was comfortable looking in his direction in such a crucial moment spoke volumes.
He's 5-foot-8 with the heart of a lion. He's got the speed, explosiveness, and elusiveness to make things happen when opportunities arise. Now, the first-year pro has a taste for it, so placing Horn at the back of the queue is not an option.
If that comes at the expense of someone like Hunter Renfrow, so be it. But Horn made a statement that should be rewarded accordingly.