Perhaps the recipe behind Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young’s second-season success included a sprinkle of joy.
While down in Mobile, Ala. for this year’s Senior Bowl, head coach Dave Canales took some time out to chat with SiriusXM NFL Radio. Canales was asked about Young’s response to his benching after Week 2, a move that was eventually answered with a very encouraging bounce-back run.
“Handling it the way that he did—with maturity, attacking it and really positioning himself for that next opportunity,” he replied. “And not knowing when that next opportunity was going to come, stepping back in and doing the work. Taking the challenge and really finding the joy of playing again.
“And I could sense that when we went out to Denver. And we didn’t get the result we wanted, we didn’t win that game. But he threw some balls with confidence, he was having fun, connecting with his teammates, working the sideline, all that.
“I could see the shift in him, and then he just took steps every week. And then just diving into the installs, diving into the game plan, improving the previous game and really applying things. And so, it was really cool to be a part of.”
Young was benched following a disastrous two-game start to the 2024 campaign. He completed 55.4 percent of his passes for 245 yards, zero touchdowns and three interceptions over a pair of blowout losses to the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Chargers.
He’d get his second chance in that Week 8 visit to Denver, when 14th-year veteran Andy Dalton was sat with a sprained right thumb. From then on, he passed for a 61.8-percent completion rate, 2,104 yards, 15 touchdowns and six interceptions while leading the Panthers to a pretty respectable 4-6 record.