“Trent McDuffie is gonna want $30 million” - NFL fans react to JayCee Horn signing a $100,000,000 contract extension

Jaycee Horn secured the bag. The Carolina Panthers’ Pro Bowl cornerback became the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history, agreeing to a four-year $100 million contract extension ($70 million guaranteed) on Monday. The deal, negotiated by Trevon Smith and David Mulugheta, averages $25 million per season and could hit $108 million with incentives.

Horn, the eighth overall pick in 2021, earned his first Pro Bowl nod last season after posting a career-high 68 tackles, two sacks and one interception. He stayed healthy, playing 98% of defensive snaps in 15 games after missing 29 matchups in his first three seasons. Carolina already exercised his fifth-year option but locking him in long-term was a top priority.

The blockbuster deal sent shockwaves through the league and fans had plenty to say. One fan turned the spotlight to the Kansas City Chiefs’ star CB.

“McDuffie is gonna want thirty million,” the fan wrote.

Considering Trent McDuffie’s elite play for the Chiefs, his next contract could push the market higher.

Another fan noted the impact on trade scenarios. Teams hoping to land a shutdown corner will have to look elsewhere.

“Takes an option off the market for teams needing a CB,” one fan tweeted.

Others questioned Horn’s durability. Injuries defined his early career, making this massive payday a bold bet by Carolina.

“Has he ever even played a full season?” one fan wrote.

“Jesus christ these contracts are getting out of hand....,” one fan commented.

“Congrats to him but is he the best in the league?” another fan tweeted.

“Jaycee Horn may not be the top cornerback,” a fan commented.

One fan pointed to a bigger trend.

“Are cornerbacks going to start getting paid?” the fan said.

Horn’s deal could be a game changer and the ripple effects are just beginning.

Why the Panthers extended Jaycee Horn

Jaycee Horn’s talent was never in doubt but availability was the big question. After proving he could stay on the field in 2024, Carolina made its move, locking him up with a four-year $100 million extension through 2029.

Panthers coach Dave Canales saw firsthand what Horn brought to the defense.

"I saw a guy that was just so focused on helping the team, on being out there, on making sure that his body was right," Canales said on Monday, via the team's website. "I wasn't around Jaycee before, but what I saw was just this professionalism, this way that he went about his week, his body readiness, his mental preparation, his film study, and all those habits.

Horn didn’t just play 98% of snaps in 15 games, he also set the tone for Carolina’s defense, earning his first Pro Bowl nod.

Injuries had limited Horn to 22 games over his first three seasons; however, last year was different. He attacked practices with a new intensity, refining his conditioning and preparation. Carolina defensive passing game coordinator Jonathan Cooley noticed the change.

"You notice it more mostly in like individual drills and the way he goes about his work," Cooley said on Monday. "Like his conditioning is so much better than it was a year ago. Coming into it, he's changed his body a little bit, his stamina is excellent, and then he's just willing to work every single day. He's just being comfortable, and you just see he tries to push himself to see what his body can do.”

For the Panthers, this deal may not be just about talent. It’s about leadership. Horn is now locked in as a cornerstone of their defense.