Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young shared that he was taken aback when head coach Dave Canales informed him he had been benched, and he took responsibility for the team’s poor performance.
“It was not something that I was necessarily expecting,” Young said after Thursday’s practice. “Obviously not something that was great to hear. But I respect coach Canales and the organization.”
Since joining Carolina as the top pick in the 2023 draft, Young has a record of 2-16 as a starter in the NFL.
The Panthers are 0-2 this season and have struggled in both games, getting outscored 73-13, with a staggering 53-3 in the first halves. They have only managed one touchdown, and Young hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass in his last four starts, going back to last season.
This Sunday, 36-year-old Andy Dalton will take over as the starter against Las Vegas.
Young attributed the decision to bench him to his own performance, stating he needs to be more effective.
“Last year and these first two games for the most part every snap has hit my hands and I didn’t do enough with it at the end of the day,” Young said. “I take accountability for that. There are plays and a long list of things that I wish I was better at, and I’m going to continue to work and grow and be better at them. I’m always going to look in the mirror.”
He added, “If I went out there and played better, and we won games, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
Young has made history as the first quarterback selected No. 1 overall in the common draft era since 1967 to be benched for non-injury reasons in his second season.
However, he assured that he hasn’t lost faith in his abilities, despite the concerns surrounding his future in Carolina.
