

In the heart of college football’s national spotlight, Colorado Buffaloes‘ wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. has emerged as more than just an on-field talent.
He embodies resilience shaped by loss, loyalty, and an unbreakable bond with his head coach, Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders.
Jimmy‘s personal story is anchored by hardship: his father, Jimmy Horn Sr., was sentenced in August 2024 to roughly 87 months in prison on multiple drug-related charges stemming from events in November 2021, just as Horn Jr.’s collegiate career was getting underway.
From the moment Horn arrived in Boulder in 2023 after transferring from USF, Coach Prime became more than a mentor-he became family.
Sanders promised Horn Sr. that if Horn Jr. chose Colorado, he’d “treat me like one of his own,” a pledge he has repeatedly honored.
Coach Prime’s father-figure role
Sanders didn’t stop with symbolic gestures. He joined Horn Jr. on Senior Day in December 2024 when no family members could walk him out, honoring Horn Sr.’s absence by stepping in alongside him on the field.
This moment was deeply meaningful for Horn Jr., who said, “That’s something that my people always wanted me to do… To have somebody walk down there with me… it meant a lot to me”.
Sanders also visited Horn Sr. in prison, spending time with him to show support and advocate on his behalf. In a recorded video submitted during a sentencing hearing, Sanders described Horn Sr. as a changed man:
“I just want you to know… he has served a multitude of years… he has repented… and is truly a different man… I sincerely believe in Jimmy Horn Sr…”
Smoke signals of appreciation came via a letter Horn Sr. sent to Coach Prime. Shared publicly by Sanders, it read:
“Thank you for being a Genuine Brother of America… and keeping your word. You’re not just there for my son, you’re there for me too.”
The coach’s reactions were emotional and sincere: “…it brought tears to my eyes and joy to my heart simultaneously,” he wrote while sharing the message.
Horn Jr. sees Sanders not just as a coach, but as a guiding force who has championed him through adversity.
“On a personal level… my pops is incarcerated, and he’s been supporting me as a father figure… just teaching me the game of life… On the field, he tries to get me the ball so I can show my game,” he acknowledged in a candid moment.
This news was originally published on this post .
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