Panthers star Jaycee Horn enters Week 1 glad the Pro Bowl game is gone, though the Carolina standout will miss its family side.
The Carolina Panthers enter Week 1 with Jaycee Horn leading the secondary, but the star cornerback has already delivered a blunt take on the Pro Bowl. Horn weighed in on the NFL’s decision to end the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl game, and the Panthers star had mixed feelings about the change. He will miss one part of the experience, but not the football itself.
Jaycee Horn said he’ll miss the family aspect of the Pro Bowl. But correctly notes: “The game was trash.” pic.twitter.com/vJygg38tca
— Joe Person (@josephperson) September 10, 2026
Speaking with The Athletic’s Joe Person, Horn said the family side mattered most to him.
“Well, I wasn’t really a fan of it just because, you know, I got nieces, nephews, kids, like, they, my nephew gets so excited to meet other, you know, footballers and other stars,” Horn said.
He also remembered how much those moments meant to him when he was younger.
“And I remember I thought at that age, like, getting a chance to go out there and meet guys I looked up to. So, really just the family aspect, getting to spend time with them.”
But Horn had a much different view of the actual game.
“I’m going to miss that part, but, you know, the game was trash, so it can’t come back.”
That is about as direct as it gets.
Panthers star still values what the Pro Bowl represented
Jaycee Horn has earned the right to speak from experience. He started 16 games in 2025 and recorded 37 tackles, eight passes defensed, and a team-high five interceptions. He also earned his second straight Pro Bowl selection.
The NFL has not eliminated the Pro Bowl honor itself. Beginning in 2026, 88 players will still be selected as official Pro Bowlers. However, the league will no longer stage the AFC-NFC game.
Horn’s point is easy to understand. The competition may have lost its appeal, but the family experience still meant something.
Now the Panthers turn toward Week 1, and Jaycee Horn has another season to prove he remains among the league’s elite corners. Can he make a third straight Pro Bowl selection feel even bigger without the “trash” game attached?
The Carolina Panthers enter Week 1 with Jaycee Horn leading the secondary, but the star cornerback has already delivered a blunt take on the Pro Bowl. Horn weighed in on the NFL’s decision to end the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl game, and the Panthers star had mixed feelings about the change. He will miss one part of the experience, but not the football itself.