Bryce Young lost his spot as the Carolina Panthers’ starting quarterback on Monday.
Young said he’s grateful.
“A firm believer that everything happens for a reason,” Young said on Thursday. “That He puts us through things for a reason. That all good and all bad is for a reason. And, ultimately, whether it’s something I understand in the moment or don’t, I understand in a week or a year, or I never understand, that’s good with me because God ordained it, so I’m grateful to be where I’m at. I’m grateful for the situation, for everything. Again, even if it’s not something in the moment that I necessarily feel the best about, I know that it’s supposed to happen for a reason, so I think that’s really what I keep leaning back on.”
Young joined the Panthers from Alabama as the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He started 16 of Carolina’s 17 games last season (missing one with an ankle injury) and both games so far this season. The Panthers won two of those 18 games, and after producing the fewest points and yards in the NFL in 2023, the Carolina offense is at the bottom again this season despite bringing in Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales as the head coach.
On Monday, Canales announced Andy Dalton would start at quarterback against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.
“Not something that I was necessarily expecting,” Young said, “and, obviously, not something that was great to hear. But I respect coach Canales. I respect the organization. Obviously, they made the decision, and it’s on me to put them in that situation. …
“For last year and these first two games, every, 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 plays, there’s stuff, there’s a long list of things that I wish I was better at, and I’m going to continue to work to grow and improve on and be better at. So I’m always going to look in the mirror. Circumstances are what they are for not just me, but for everyone. Everyone’s dealing with something. Everyone has circumstances. And 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. So right now I am where I am, and all I can do is try to be better each and every day.”
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Young said he didn’t know how his benching affected his future with the franchise.
“I’m a day-by-day type of person,” Young said. “I’ve talked about that kind of consistently — you know, big-picture stuff. That’s out of my hands. That’s in God’s hands. You know, organizational stuff — that’s with the people upstairs. So I’m super grateful to be a part of the team, to be part of the organization. I want to help the team whatever way I can. And that’s my focus.”
Young will serve as Carolina’s backup to Dalton on Sunday.
“I love Andy,” Young said. “We’re super close. And I love this team. I love my teammates. It’s not hard to root for them, to try to do everything I can to help, to play my role, to try to just be around to help in whatever way I can.”
Young said while being the backup changed his practice schedule, it had not changed his preparation schedule.
“It doesn’t change my approach,” Young said. “… It’s still the same mindset of trying to help the team and be the best I can. Still the same off-the-field process. Still get in and leave at the same time. Still watch the same stuff. Still prepare the same way. I love the game, and I respect the game. And I won’t budge on that no matter what, so the process is always going to be the same no matter what the circumstances are.”
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.
