Seahawks rookie Tory Horton makes NFL history with hot start & punt return TD vs. Saints

Seattle Seahawks' surprising rookie Tory Horton is only the third player in NFL history with two receiving scores and a return TD in the first three games of their career.

Seahawks receiver Tory Horton (15) celebrates after scoring a 95 yard punt return for a touchdown against the Saints | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Seattle Seahawks' rookie receiver Tory Horton isn't making the 12s forget about the likes of DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett just yet. Yet.

During an expected 44-13 blowout of the lowly New Orleans Saints on Sunday afternoon at Lumen Field, the fifth-round rookie dazzled, dominated and etched his name into the NFL record books. Horton had an eye-popping 95-yard punt return in the first quarter - the longest in Seahawks' franchise history - and in the second caught a 14-yard touchdown pass from Sam Darnold to push the lead to 28-3.

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Added to his touchdown catch in Week 2 in Pittsburgh, the Colorado State rookie became only the third player in NFL history to have multiple touchdown catches and a return for a score through the first three games of their career. The other two: Tim Brown in 1988 and former Seahawk Percy Harvin in 2009.

The Seahawks had no idea they were getting a dual-threat superstar of a bargain last April in the NFL Draft. But Horton turned heads early in training camp and is now already a trusted target of Darnold.

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The blowout win was welcomed by head coach Mike Macdonald, in light of the Seahawks being on a short week in advance of Thursday night's NFC West game at the Arizona Cardinals.

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Horton's punt return was the first by a Seahawks' player since Lockett in 2015.

Seahawks receiver Tory Horton (15) catches a touchdown against the Saints at Lumen Field | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

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