Bryce Young was seen smiling and congratuilating veteran quarterback Andy Dalton who took his starting job in week three after his brutal start to the season saw him benched.
The Panthers looked immediately improved after dropping Young for Dalton, with the 36-year-old rolled back the years while throwing for 319 yards and three touchdowns with no turnovers in guiding the team to it’s first win of the season after a brutal start to the season.
Carolina were left with no real choice but to bench Young, despite spending multiple first round picks to acquire him – including the pick that turned into Caleb Williams while also trading DJ Moore to the Chicago Bears to draft the former Heisman Trophy winner.
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After a poor rookie season, Young did not take a leap in his first two games and even looked to have regressed, throwing for just 245 yards on 56 attempts while throwing no touchdown to three interceptions and taking six sacks – with the offense being unable to function at any level.
Dalton, though, acted as a force multiplier when thrusted into the starting position, with Carolina’s offensive line, run game and wide receivers looking considerably improved – with questions now surrounding Young’s future with the team.
Young had every reason to feel disappointed after losing his starting job, but did not show it with the team – rooting for Dalton as he marched the team down the field while seeing him share a moment with the veteran in the locker room as the two embraced.
Earlier in the week, Young was asked by reporters if Panthers decision to bench him was made too early, to which he said: “I don’t think that’s up for me to decide.
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Young daps up Dalton after a scoring drive
“Again, there’s a lot of plays for last year and these first two games, and for the most part, every snap hit my hands, and I didn’t do enough with it at the end of the day. I take accountability for that. There’s a long list of stuff I wish I was better at, and I’m going to continue to work to grow and improve on and be better at.
“I’m always going to look in the mirror. Circumstances are what they are, not just me, but for everyone. Everyone is dealing with something. Everyone has circumstances. If I went out there and played better and we won games, at the end of the day that falls on me that that didn’t happen, and we wouldn’t be having this conversation.
“Right now I am where I am, and all I can do is try to be better each and every day. I have confidence in myself, always have confidence in myself. Again, it’s day to day. At the end of the day, I’m a competitor. Whenever there’s a football and there’s a field out there, I have the utmost confidence in myself.”
Carolina had reportedly turned down four trade offers for Young earlier this past week, with the team suggesting that they still see him as the long-term starter.
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