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Panthers star cornerback Jaycee Horn becomes the latest victim of the NFL’s shifting rulebook

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Kole Noble | Last updated Sep 20, 2025 7:18 PM ET

The Carolina Panthers would love to turn the page on Week 2's loss to the Arizona Cardinals after coming up short on a late game comeback attempt and will get the opportunity to do so in Week 3 when the team heads back home to take on the Atlanta Falcons.

But, before the team can fully close the book on the Week 2 loss, the NFL just handed out some last minute punishments to two Carolina defensive players for actions that occurred in last week's game.

Star cornerback Jaycee Horn was fined $11,593 for taunting while linebacker and special teamer Claudin Cherelus was fined $5,722 for a blindside block. Neither offense was flagged by the officials during the game.

Horn's "taunting" came in the second quarter after forcing Cardinals' running back James Conner out of bounds. Once the play was ruled dead, Horn smacked the ball out of Conner's hands on the sideline. As for Cherelus' act, the linebacker's blindside block occurred on a Carolina kickoff return during the third quarter as was a little more egregious compared to Horn's act.

Panthers CB Jaycee Horn fined $11,593 for taunting in the second quarter of last week's loss at Arizona.
Special teams ace Claudin Cherelus fined $5,722 for a blindside block on a kickoff return in 3Q.
Neither player was penalized.
— Joe Person (@josephperson) September 20, 2025

NFL has been more strict on enforcing taunting in 2025

Most might look at Horn's action and not see anything wrong with it, and I'd tend to agree with that feeling. Yet, the league feels differently and has been making more of an effort to crack down and enforce more acts of taunting this season.

Between Week 1 and Week 2, eight different players have been fined for taunting, including Horn. Horn was one of three players to be fined for taunting in Week 2, one of the other victims was actually former Panther and current New York Giants edge rusher Brian Burns.

The potential taunting violations the league is starting to enforce include "offenses against game officials, player safety rules or flagrant personal fouls, fighting, sportsmanship, uniform rules, and gang signing."

The $11,593 fine isn't much for Horn, who recently signed a 4-year, $100 million extension earlier this offseason, but it's still something players would ideally like to avoid. A second offense fine for taunting increases to $17,389. But, the money coming out of the player's pocket is at least going to a good cause to help support former NFL players.

All money collected from fines are donated to the Professional Athletes Foundation and the NFL Foundation. If Horn wishes, he is able to appeal the fine. Appeal cases are randomly assigned to be heard by the league’s current appeals officers, Derrick Brooks, Ramon Foster or Jordy Nelson.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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