QB Bryce Young 'grateful' to be on Panthers, pledges to improve
Quarterback Bryce Young pledged to help the Carolina Panthers any way he can, though the former starter will be watching from the sidelines when the team plays the host Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.
Young, addressing his demotion from earlier this week, took responsibility on Thursday for his play after being lauded as the franchise quarterback since he was the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft.
"I had a lot of plays last year and in the first two games," Young told reporters during locker room availability. "For the most part, every snap hit my hands and I didn't do enough. I take accountability for that. There's a long list of things that I wish was better and I'll continue to work and grow and improve and be better at.
"Everyone has circumstances. If I went out there and played better and won games ... and at the end of the day that falls on me and that didn't happen ... we wouldn't be having this conversation."
The Panthers (0-2) lost 26-3 to the visiting Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, leaving the second-year quarterback with just two wins in 18 NFL starts.
Young, 23, has completed 55.4 percent of his passes this year for 245 yards with no touchdowns and three interceptions. Last year, he connected on 59.8 percent of his attempts for 2,877 yards, 11 touchdowns and 10 picks as the team went 2-15.
First-year head coach Dave Canales announced Monday that veteran Andy Dalton has moved up to first string after initially saying that Young remained the starter following Sunday's loss. Young admitted Thursday that he was caught by surprise by the benching.
"It was not something that I necessarily I was expecting," Young said. "Obviously, not something that was great to hear.
"But I respect coach Canales, I respect the organization. They made the decision. ... Right now that's the situation that it is. I have to do everything I can to help the team in whatever way I can."
That means running the scout team and mimicking Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew to get the Panthers defense prepared for Sunday.
"I'm a day-by-day kind of person," Young said. "I've talked about that consistently. Big picture stuff, that's out of my hands. That's organizational stuff, for the people upstairs. I'm super grateful to be part of the team, with our organization. I want to help in every way I can."
Canales said Wednesday that the Panthers are not looking to trade Young, a Heisman Trophy winner who had great success at Alabama but little since his arrival in the NFL. Young said his future in the league is for others to decide, but the 5-foot-10, 204-pounder believes he can succeed at this level.
"I have confidence in myself," Young said. "I've always had confidence in myself. Again, it's a day-to-day thing. I always feel like at the end of the day I'm a competitor. Whenever there's a football and there's a field out there, I have the utmost confidence in myself.
"It's been great with these guys too, having teammates I can lean on as well. That's not something that's going to waver. Again, what the circumstances are, what happens, that's up for God to decide. That's out of my hands."
Carolina traded up prior to the 2023 draft with the Chicago Bears to select Young. Standout receiver D.J. Moore was sent to the Bears, who also used the 2024 No. 1 overall draft pick obtained in the deal to select quarterback Caleb Williams.
