Bryce Young entered the NFL with major expectations. A Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback at Alabama, he was selected No. 1 overall in 2023 by the Carolina Panthers based on his throwing accuracy and calm demeanor in the pocket.
But his first two seasons were anything but smooth.
As a rookie, Young threw for 2,877 yards and 11 touchdowns but 10 interceptions and posted a 2-15 record. He was also sacked 62 times, the second-most in the NFL. The team’s poor performance led to head coach Frank Reich’s being fired 11 games into the season.
After he threw three picks and zero scores over the first two weeks of the 2024 season, he was benched for Andy Dalton, a veteran who continued as starter for the next six games but was sidelined after a car accident resulted in a thumb injury.
Young, 24, stepped in for Dalton ahead of the Week 8 matchup with the Denver Broncos and never relinquished the role, showing major signs of promise the rest of the way. That has led his teammates and league analysts to believe he still has what it takes to lead an NFL franchise.
“A lot of great quarterbacks have been benched,” NBC’s Chris Simms said on “Chris Simms Unbuttoned.” “Part of being an NFL quarterback is getting knocked down and getting your ass back up and going, ‘You know what? I’m going to still keep fighting and I’m going to show everybody that they’re wrong.’”
Young did that and more. Over his last 10 games in 2024, he threw for 2,104 yards and 15 touchdowns, with only six interceptions, for a passer rating of 88.9. Carolina won only four of those matchups, but its offensive stats were up across the board down the stretch.
Young finished the season on a high note, going 25-for-34 passing for 251 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in an overtime victory against the Atlanta Falcons.
“You saw a totally different guy,” Simms said of Young’s play down the stretch, noting his improvement in decision-making and pocket presence. “You saw the right steps to be excited for Bryce Young going into Year 3.”
That level of play also caught the eye of Panthers tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders.
“Everybody definitely sees the change,” Sanders told NBC News. “One thing I’ve learned from Bryce is not getting too high with the highs or low with the lows. Attacking the day the same way every day.”
Sanders added that Young’s competitiveness has been evident in training camp this summer and that he has shown leadership off it.
“The way he carries himself as a person off the field — not even just talking about football here — off the field, how he carries himself as a person, as a man. The energy he brings when he walks into the room.”
That energy most likely increased after the 2025 NFL draft. The Panthers bolstered their offense by selecting Arizona star wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan at No. 8 overall. The 6-foot-4 McMillan has the height, speed and catching ability to provide Young with another reliable weapon in the offense to go along with veteran receiver (and former All-Pro) Adam Thielen and 2024 first-round pick Xavier Legette.
The team also bolstered its defense by giving cornerback Jaycee Horn a four-year, $100 million contract extension and signing safety Tre’von Moehrig from the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Panthers finished third in the NFC South and fourth the previous year. They hope another step is taken in 2025, which largely depends on Young.
“I’m super confident. That comes from this building,” Young said at a news conference during training camp. “Relying on the coaching staff and team around me, that’s really where I get my confidence from. I’m grateful to be part of the organization.”
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