While many quarterbacks in the 2023 NFL Draft faced challenges and uncertainty, Bryce Young capitalized on his second opportunity to impress. Despite concerns about his size, Young’s exceptional skills and mental acuity made him a standout among his peers. His ability to read defenses, make accurate throws, and perform under pressure solidified his position as one of the top quarterback prospects in the draft.
Given a second chance to revive his young career, Bryce Young delivered something equally rare during Week 9 of the NFL season: a victory for the Carolina Panthers.
Young, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, who was benched earlier this season after just 18 career starts, led Carolina on a game-winning drive to defeat New Orleans 23-22.
With 3:26 left in the fourth quarter and the Panthers trailing 22-17, Young initially threw two incompletions before connecting with Xavier Legette for 26 yards. A pass interference penalty on the next play moved the ball 16 yards from the end zone. Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard scored on the following play, and though Young was sacked on the two point conversion, the team secured the win.
Young’s performance saw him complete 16 of 26 passes for 171 yards, including a short touchdown to Legette and an interception where Legette initially caught the pass before a Saints defender ripped the ball away. While his 61% completion rate was only slightly better than his 59% career average, it was an efficient outing capped by a clutch victory over a team that had previously overwhelmed the Panthers with a 47-10 defeat in Week 1.
For Young, who is now 3-17 as a starter, that counts as progress.
We have an XL TD! Bryce Young finds Xavier Legette for the @Panthers TD 🐎
📺: #NOvsCAR on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/QXlc77yb2R— NFL (@NFL) November 3, 2024
The victory snapped the Panthers’ five game home losing streak, dating back to last season.
Carolina traded up to draft Young from Alabama first overall in 2023, quickly positioning him as the face of the franchise and the starting quarterback. However, after just 18 starts and limited production, he was benched in September in favor of veteran backup Andy Dalton. Young’s struggles were further highlighted by the success of Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud, drafted immediately after him, who led the Texans to the playoffs in his rookie season.
In September, four teams showed interest in trading for Bryce Young after he was benched according to Fox’s Jay Glazer. However, Carolina made it clear that they would not consider a trade, with Glazer adding that the Panthers “still think there’s a future here.”
That future seemed to arrive last week when Dalton sprained his thumb in a car accident, ringing Young back into the lineup. Despite a loss to Denver, Young completed 64% of his passes, throwing two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Young’s situation serves as a reminder that being a high draft pick—even one a team has traded assets for—does not guarantee a secure career in the NFL. This week, Indianapolis benched quarter Anthony Richardson, the fourth pick in the same draft as Young. Earlier this season, Tennessee also benched their second-year quarterback, Will Levis, who was a second-round pick in 2023.
First- and second round quarterbacks who don’t succeed in their initial teams often get more chances elsewhere. For example, Sam Darnold is thriving in Minnesota after difficulties with the New York Jets and the Panthers, and Baker Mayfield has found a place in Tampa Bay after stints in Cleveland and Carolina. It’s less common for a benched starter to regain favor within the same organization that initially lost confidence in him, but Young seems to have that opportunity now.
