Joe Horn played WR at tiny Itwamba Community College in Mississippi.
He caught 54 passes for 878 yards and 7 TDs and moonlighted as a PR.
Did not play football for two years after leaving college.
Eventually he caught the attention of the CFL in 1994 during their CFLUSA Invasion.
He’d be initially signed by the Baltimore Stallions and then the Shreveport Pirates, before landing on the roster of the Memphis Mad Dogs in 1995.
Horn had an outstanding season in the CFL catching 71 passes for 1415 yards.
The Chiefs drafted Horn in the 5th round of the 1996 NFL Draft.
He’d toil away for the next 4 seasons with the Chiefs only starting 2 contests.
Signed with the Saints in 2000 where he’d establish himself as a true receiving threat.
Horn caught 94 passes for 1340 yards and 8 TDs that season.
He followed up his first thousand yard season with 1265, 1312, and 973 over the next 3 seasons.
In 2004, Joe had 94 catches for a career high 1399 yards and 11 TDs.
As injuries began to take their toll on Horn, his numbers decreased to a point the Saints asked him to take a pay cut.
Released after the 2006 season, Horn finished second in receiving yards and receptions, while setting the franchise mark for receiving TDs with 50 in 7 seasons.
Played one final cash grab season with the Falcons in 2007 catching 27 passes for 243 yards and a TD to close out his career.
Sells his own BBQ sauce called Bayou 87.
Also coaches WR at Northeast Community College.
ACCOLADES:
Saints Hall of Fame 2020
Pro Bowl 2000-’02, ’04
NOTES:
I had wanted Horn for a while and being that he doesn’t sign TTM when he came cheap, I didn’t hesitate at participating in this signing which also included Rickey Jackson.
Horn is most notoriously known for pulling out a cell phone from underneath a goalpost after scoring a TD during a 2003 Monday Night Football Game.
Kendrick Starling played WR at Navarro JC in 1999 and 2000.
He caught 111 passes for 2305 yards and 26 TDs.
Joined Marshall University for 2001, and later transferred for San Jose State in 2002.
Kendrick Starling played for the Spartans for two years.
In 23 games he had 77 receptions for 899 yards and 5 TDs.
He also led the conference in yards per return on kick returns, averaging 28.1 yards on 20 returns, netting 562 yards.
Undrafted in 2004, he’d sign with the Houston Texans.
He made the squad that year, used primarily on special teams seeing action in 8 contests.
In 2005 Starling hopped around practice squads, leaving the Texans for Seattle, and later in the season for New Orleans.
Rejoined the Texans in 2006 and was allocated to NFL Europa to play for the Rhein Fire.
A long bomb threat, Kendrick caught 13 passes for 320 yards and 3 TDs, and lead the league with 24.6 yards per reception.
After being waived by the Texans after camp in 2006, Starling signed with the Eskimos the following year in 2007.
He’d catch 2 passes for 18 yards for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats that season in 3 contests.
In 2025, Starling was sentenced to 25 years in prison for abuse of a child.
NOTES:
The Texans during this period were always looking for a long bomb solution to groom next to Andre Johnson. Someone who could also be a special teams kick or punt returner as well. Starling fit that bill and I remember really hoping he’d pan out. He was considered a deep sleeper entering the draft. He quickly developed into a guy you could cheer for, with a fun personality, style, but a humble willingness to learn. Unfortunately things did not work out for him.
Undrafted he’d sign with the Chargers in 1968 but not make the squad.
In 1969 Dempsey joined the Saints, where he’s probably most favorably remembered for hitting an NFL record 63 yard field goal.
During his first season in New Orleans he led the league with 41 field goal attempts and a 55 yard long.
In both ’70 and ’71 he’d also have 63 and 54 yard field goals that’d lead the league.
Before the 1971 season, Dempsey signed with the Eagles, playing with the team through the ’74 season.
The Rams would sign Tom in 1975, where he’d hit a career high 80.8% field goals.
He’d play for the Oilers in 1976 for 5 contests, before heading over to Buffalo to close out his career.
Since retirement, Tom has battled much adversity.
In 2005, he was flooded out by Hurricane Katrina.
Then in 2013 he revealed that he was battling dementia.
ACCOLADES:
New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame
Pro Bowl 1969
All Pro 1969
George Halas Award 1971
Semi Pro Football Hall of Fame
NOTES:
The NFL actively updated rules while and after Tom played. They felt because he had a flat front to his shoes (due to a birth defect) that he was able to hit longer field goals than other players. His 63 yard field goal record stood for over 40 years- before the NFL loosened kicking rules for footballs in the 2020’s.
EPITAPH:
4/4/20- After being diagnosed with COVID late in March, Tom passed away a few days later, during the early days of the pandemic at the age of 73
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
