Bitch-Slap-of-the-Week – Falcons WR Joe Horn

Posted on 05 January 2009 by J. Donetelli.

Back in July with the Falcons immediate future looking bleak, WR Joe Horn got impatient and created an opportunity joe-horn get out of dodge.

With Michael Vick in prison garb, high-profile players like Alge Crumpler, Warrick Dunn and DeAngelo Hall (another Bitch-Slap recepient) off the roster and rookie quarterback Matt Ryan scheduled to take the snaps, Horn kick-started his agenda and started trash-talking the Falcons rebuilding process through the media.

Horn accused the Falcons and rookie head coach Mike Smith of not including him in his game plan and thinking teams would offer him a lucrative enough deal even at age 36, he went back to the media demanding to be traded.

Mike Smith was interviewed on an Atlanta radio show that same day and was shocked and said he knew nothing about Horn’s request. That’s because rather than sit down and communicate his concerns with the coach, Horn used the media as his messenger.

Finding no takers the Falcons cut the aging receiver and you know the rest of the story. Horn walked away with his guaranteed $2.5 million salary for 2008 then went on a job search.

Rumors were flying about Horn landing in Dallas or Cleveland and he finally did get a one-day tryout with the N.Y. Giants late in the season but the Giants sent him packing, saying the old wideout just couldn’t run like he used to.

Like an undrafted college wannabe, Horn spent most of the season waiting for the call from his agent which did not come. In the meantime, the Falcons went on an incredible turnaround run from the 4-12 team Horn contributed to, to an 11-5 playoff team.

Falcon WR Roddy White more than filled the gap left by Horn. White set a franchise record with 1,382 receiving yards, earning a trip to this year’s Pro Bowl.

And by the way, that rookie quarterback Horn didn’t want to be teamed up with won the AP Rookie-of-the-Year and the rookie head coach he was trash-talking took home the AP Coach-of-the-Year honors.

Joe Horn, we hope you enjoyed eating popcorn in front of your TV set watching the Falcons’ record-setting turnaround season and don’t forget to put a little ice on that cheek of yours. A Bitch-Slap like this tends to leave a little mark sometimes.