Carolina Panthers second-year quarterback Bryce Young was stunned after discovering he would be benched just two games into the season for Andy Dalton.
The organization spoke highly of their former No. 1 overall draft pack before changing their mind on the underperforming prospect. Carolina made waves on Monday after deciding to bench Young after just two games this season. NFL insiders revealed that Young and those in his inner circle were caught completely off guard by the move. Further sources disclosed that Young and his camp were “very shocked” by the sudden move, with one insider noting: “It came out of nowhere.”
After being chosen with the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft , anticipations were sky-high for Young to turn a franchise around that hasn't made the playoffs since 2017. He was selected over CJ Stroud, Will Levis, and Anthony Richardson in the draft. The franchise initially seemed fully committed to letting Young grow within the offense, with Canales saying: "Bryce is our quarterback." But after beginning his career with a record of 2-16, the organization was forced to try a new avenue .
"Andy gives us our best chance to win this week," said Panthers head coach Dave Canales. "Hate to sound like a broken record, I owe it to all the guys. Everybody involved needs to be really critical about what we put on film and what I'm seeing. And to make sure that I'm constantly making the best decision for the team, every week."
“This was my decision. This is our football team. This is trying to win on a weekly basis. And while it’s my decision, I gather information from the people that are critical to making these kinds of decisions. But this is something I felt like gives us our chance to take a step forward in our play style and to be able to compete this week against a really good Raiders team.”
Young's last outing was a 26-3 loss against the Los Angeles Chargers at home in front of 70,145 fans at Bank of America stadium. He finished the game throwing for 84 yards and an interception, with a quarterbacking rating of 6.4 and a passer rating of just 57.2.
The Panthers completed just one of twelve third-down conversations for the game, with Young throwing for just 2.5 yards per pass. Carolina punted seven times in the game compared to the Chargers, who punted just three times.
In the season opener, Young's first pass against the New Orleans Saints was intercepted, and he finished the game with two interceptions. The costly mistake culminated in a disastrous night when Young threw for 161 yards while taking four sacks.
After the poor season opener, Young even conceded that his performance was not up to the standards of reporters. When asked about his confidence levels after the poor performance, Young said: "I draw confidence from the Lord. I've been blessed beyond measure, and while this isn't the start I envisioned, I believe everything happens for a reason. My faith is stronger than any setback."
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