New Orleans Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis announced Friday that the club has signed wide receiver Joe Horn to a contract. Horn, one of the club's all-time leading wideouts, will retire as a Saint.
Horn, who was signed as an unrestricted free agent from Kansas City in 2000 and played for the club for seven seasons, is second all-time in receptions, receiving yards and third in touchdowns in Saints history with 523 catches, 7,622 yards and 50 touchdowns, respectively. Horn's 50 touchdown receptions are the most in franchise history and his 27 games of 100 yards or more of receiving yardage ranks number one as well. During this period he started 100 of 102 games he appeared in for the Saints.
Horn, 38, is the only player in club record books to have over 75 receptions in five-straight seasons, including tying for the NFC lead in 2004 with 94 grabs, a franchise-record total he first set in 2000. He also set a club record of 11 touchdown receptions in 2004 which has since been tied by former teammate Marques Colston. Of the 603 receptions he recorded in his NFL career – including the first four years with Kansas City and his final season with Atlanta – all but 80 came with the Saints.
"Since he first arrived here in 2000, Joe made a significant impact on our team both on and off the field," said Owner Tom Benson. "In addition to being one of the top players of all-time to wear a Saints uniform, he was always generous with his time to youth and those less fortunate in our community. I am proud that Joe will retire as a member of the New Orleans Saints family."
"Joe was one of our club's best free agent signings ever," said Loomis. "I enjoyed seeing him develop into one of the NFL's top receivers as a Saint. He is certainly one of the top all-time Saints. Given his relationships and the impact that he had both within the organization and in our community, it is only appropriate that he retire a Saint."
"Joe's accomplishments throughout his NFL career were tremendous," said Saints head coach Sean Payton. "He was one of the most productive wide receivers in the NFL during the period in which he played. For the time that I worked with him he was a big part of us building this program up to where we reached the NFC Championship in 2006. I wish Joe happiness and success in his future endeavors."
Horn was named to four Pro Bowls in his seven seasons in New Orleans. Only T William Roaf (7), LB Rickey Jackson (6) and K Morten Andersen (6) have been named to more Pro Bowls as members of the New Orleans Saints. Horn is tied with LBs Vaughan Johnson, Sam Mills and Pat Swilling with the four Pro Bowls. This past spring he was elected into the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame. He will be recognized on the field when he is inducted prior to a home game this season.
