Panthers quarterback Bryce Young has a fan in Luke Kuechly

The first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft hardly looked the part as a rookie. That changed in a big way, according to one of the team's greatest players.

Dec 22, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard (30) celebrates with quarterback Bryce Young (9) after scoring a touchdown in the first quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

In 2023, the Carolina Panthers orchestrated a massive trade to secure the first overall pick in that year’s NFL draft. They swung a deal with the Chicago Bears, and ultimately made the decision to select 2021 Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young. He put up impressive numbers his final two years with the Crimson Tide, throwing for 79 scores and just 12 interceptions.

Unfortunately, he suffered through a forgettable debut season with the Panthers. In 16 games, all starts, he hit on just 59.8 percent of his passes for 2,877 yards and 11 touchdowns. Young was picked off 10 times, lost six of his 11 fumbles, and was sacked 62 times. Carolina scored just 236 points, tied for the fewest in the league, and was an NFL-worst 2-15.

Things got off to a rocky start in 2024. In lopsided losses to the Saints (47-10) and Chargers (26-3), Young was dropped six times, hit on only 55.4 percent of his throws for just 245 yards, zero touchdowns (he ran for 1 TD) and three picks. New head coach Dave Canales opted to sit the young quarterback. He made a few relief appearances in place of Andy Dalton, then returned to the starting lineup in Week 8 at Denver. It proved to be a turning point for Young, as one of the franchise’s greatest players noted.

“You learned a lot about Bryce’s makeup,” explained former Panthers’ linebacker Luke Kuechly (via DJ Siddiqi of Sports Lens). “What kind of guy he was, how he handled adversity. Last year he got hit a lot. Always got back up, never complained…”

“He got sacked, got up, walked off the field, came right back, never complained. You fast forward to this year, he had a tough start to the year. Pulled him after a couple games. He could have sat on the bench, sulked, checked out, but he didn’t. He stayed locked in.”

Young’s first touchdown pass of the season came in that 28-14 loss to the playoff-bound Broncos. In his final 10 outings of 2024, he connected on 61.8 percent of his throws. There were 2,104 yards through the air, and more than twice as many touchdown passes (15) as interceptions (6). He also ran for 223 yards and five scores while being sacked only 22 times, and lost only two fumbles. Young looked like a player that had regained his confidence.

“As the season went on, I think Bryce kind of got back to who he was at Alabama,” added Kuechly. “I’m gonna go play football. I’m gonna go let it rip. He’s smart. He’s tough. He used his feet to his advantage.”

Young threw at least one touchdown pass in each of those final 10 contests. In Carolina’s final three games, which included wins over the Cardinals and Falcons (in OT), the Panthers scored a combined 94 points. The second-year pro threw seven touchdown passes, ran for three scores, and did not commit a turnover.

The third year for Young could be charming indeed.

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