Following Bryce Young’s impressive college performance, many NFL teams rushed to add the new quarterback to their attacking lineups. One team that stood out was the Carolina Panthers, who managed to secure the Alabama starter. Regrettably, even with this significant addition, the Panthers finished last season with the lowest record in the league at 2-15.
While his hefty $38 million rookie deal let him go under intense scrutiny from NFL fans, Young remains determined to reverse the Panthers’ fortunes in the upcoming season.
Bryce Young is confident of stronger 2024
Bryce Young was embroiled in controversy on several times owing to his poor performance, despite holding the prestigious title of the 2023 No. 1 overall pick. But now that he has learned from his mistakes in his first season, the tenacious youngster is preparing to impress football fans under the tutelage of head coach Dave Canales.
In an interview with TMZ, the former Alabama quarterback expressed confidence, attributing it to the support of his teammates and the opportunity to collaborate with the new coaching staff.
“I’m definitely confident, and that comes from being able to play with the team that I have, being able to lean on my teammates, get a new coaching staff, I’m excited to work with them,” he said.
In addition to grappling with his own performance struggles, Young also contended with challenges stemming from a lackluster offensive line and the mid-season firing of his former head coach, Frank Reich. Despite these hurdles, the young quarterback remains steadfast in his determination to grow and improve.
“I feel like I’ve grown — I’ve learned. I’m excited to improve this offseason. Get better at some things — I’m excited for year 2.”
With the 22-year-old’s fiery determination evident in his words, there is anticipation for a significant turnaround in his performance in 2024. Particularly noteworthy are his past achievements, including breaking records for most passing yards in a single game with 559 and clinching the prestigious Heisman Trophy during his college career at Alabama.
Bryce Young’s rookie year in numbers
Amidst the Carolina Panthers’ dismal performance in the 2023 season, Bryce Young’s struggles stood out prominently. Despite the New York Jets’ starter Aaron Rodgers’ praise, his statistics reflected a challenging rookie year, having played 16 games and accumulating 2,877 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
Notably, he endured a staggering 62 sacks. It marks the second-highest total in the league, trailing only Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell’s 65.
Young believes that critics should refrain from passing judgment on the Panthers team solely based on their struggles in the previous season. Instead, he shared the team’s shared dedication to surmounting challenges and progressing.
“It wasn’t the year that we wanted to have last year, some tough times, but you grow from that. I feel like as a team, we grew a lot closer through that,” he said.
The upcoming season will reveal whether Young can reverse the Panthers’ fortunes and position them as formidable contenders for the Super Bowl title which they are yet to win throughout their NFL journey.