Bryce Young shares what he's learned in journey from Mater Dei to Alabama to Carolina

The Panthers' young signal caller has been on a unique ride since transferring to one of the top football high schools in the country.

Nov 3, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) with head coach Dave Canales after the game at Bank of America Stadium. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Heading into his third season in the NFL, Bryce Young is fortunate to be in the position that he's in. Any number of things beyond his control could have derailed his career - especially after a rough rookie season and a brutally bad start to his second year in the league.

The former No. 1 overall draft pick looked to be the most accomplished and highest-ceiling prospect at quarterback coming out of Alabama, but he hit some choppy waters in his first action with the Carolina Panthers. Meanwhile, the draft's second overall pick - Houston's C.J. Stroud put together one ofthe best rookie seasons any QB ever has at this level.

Young's terrible first two starts in the 2024 season might have been the end of his journey as a starter in the NFL. If not for a car accident that injured the thumb of veteran backup Andy Dalton, Young might not have ever gotten another chance - and his unprecedented surge in the second half of the season would never have happened.

So, you can imagine that Young has developed a healthy and humble perspective about his journey. Here's a portion of what he shared on a recent trip to his high school, Mater Dei, per the team website.

Bryce Young says to 'run your own race'

"I feel like my best piece of advice would just be to run your own race... Everyone has a different path, everyone has a different journey, and everyone has different timing... It's hard sometimes when you look at people around you or you try to compare to other people, and it can be very discouraging to do that, especially at the NFL level.

"You see people accomplish their goals from so many different paths and through so many different avenues, and there's no right or wrong way to get there. So just to focus on what's important and to run your own race would probably be the best advice I have."

Here's the full video detailing his trip back to Mater Dei.

Bryce Young visits former high school

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