Frank Reich confirms Panthers CB Jaycee Horn suffered hamstring injury against Falcons

Panthers head coach Frank Reich provided an update on the injury status of cornerback Jaycee Horn on Monday. He confirmed that the defensive back suffered a hamstring injury and the severity continues to be evaluated.

Horn left Sunday’s season opener against Atlanta just prior to halftime. He ended the game with one tackle before his departure.

Panthers head coach Frank Reich meeting with media, confirms that Jaycee Horn's injury sustained yesterday at Atlanta is a hamstring, says they're continuing to evaluate the severity.

— Augusta Stone (@augustalstone) September 11, 2023

Horn was the No. 8 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft out of South Carolina. In his first season, he suffered a fractured foot, which ended his rookie campaign after just three games.

Last season, the defensive back appeared in 13 contests, making 53 tackles, defending seven passes and collecting three interceptions.

Carolina dropped the season opener to Atlanta 24-10.

Jaycee Horn’s teammates talk about injury

It’s never easy for a player to go through injury during an NFL season. It’s even more frustrating when it occurs in Week 1. Horn didn’t have much to say following Sunday’s loss, but his teammates commented about the situation.

“It becomes very tough, becomes very tough man,” cornerback Donte Jackson said about potentially not playing with Horn, per the Panthers’ website. “Just knowing the type of guy he is, and knowing how bad he wants it, how hard he works, and he never does anything wrong, you know what I’m saying?

“He’s always a great professional. He’s always doing everything that he’s supposed to do to be out there.”

Horn has battled injuries through the first two years. He missed most of his rookie season with the fractured foot and missed time last season because of a broken wrist. It’s been incredibly frustrating for the young Panthers defensive back.

“That’s why it sucks, man,” Jackson said. “Because you see a guy like him, who constantly goes overboard to take care of his body, and then he gets told he’s injury prone, and he gets told that he can’t stay healthy and stuff.

“But like behind the scenes, you know, you see how hard he actually works to be out there. And it just sucks because he’ll never have that narrative not on his name. And it just sucks, man. It sucks for him. He’s such a great player, such a great professional, and you just hate to see it. You just hate to see it.”

Carolina prepares for another divisional game in Week 2 against New Orleans. The Panthers and Saints play on Monday, Sept. 18 at 7:15 p.m. ET. The game airs on ESPN.