Top 10 NFL players who got their start in the CFL
6. Joe Horn
Horn certainly left a greater legacy in the NFL than the CFL, but it was his start in the Canadian league that propelled him to a successful overall career. While Horn had offers from DI programs coming out of high school, his academic numbers led him to play college football at Itawamba Community College in Mississippi. Following two seasons of college football, Horn took two years off, working at a restaurant while training to stay in football shape. Eventually, he earned a tryout with the CFL鈥檚 Baltimore Stallions 鈥� an expansion team as the CFL attempted to expand into the United States. Horn would ultimately latch on with another expansion team, the Memphis Mad Dogs. During his only CFL season in 1995, the wide receiver amassed 71 catches for 1,415 yards.
The performance helped draw the eyes of many in the NFL, as Horn was then selected in the fifth round of the 1996 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. He wouldn鈥檛 see a lot of action in Kansas City until a 586-yard year in 1999. Horn then went on to sign with the Saints where he flourished, becoming a Pro Bowl receiver in four of the next five seasons. Arguably, his best season in the NFL came in 2004 as Horn set career bests across the board with 94 receptions, 1,399 yards and 11 touchdowns. Following two more productive seasons in New Orleans, Horn played for the Falcons for one final season in 2007.
