Bryce Young's numbers since benching suggest he's secured his spot in the NFL

Carolina's former No. 1 overall pick may not be playing like a No. 1 pick, but since he was benched Young has been more than solid-enough to secure a long-term starting job.

Dec 21, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) after a win against Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium. | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Numbers can be deceiving in any sport, but only when you divorce them from their context. For example, if you look at Bryce Young's career stats since joining the NFL you get the picture of a bust, aki to Zach Wilson or an early Sam Darnold who has no business starting at this level.

However, when you look closer you see a quarterback who has grown by leaps and bounds since his career hit bottom when he was benched going into Week 3 of the 2024 season.

Since returning to the lineup in the middle of last season, Young hasn't exactly produced at an elite level, but his stats are more than good enough to justify making a long-term investment in him as the Carolina Panthers' franchise quarterback. Observe.

Bryce Young stats since benching

Bryce Young since he was benched last season:

- 5208 Total Yards
- 42 TD
- 15 INT
- Panthers single game passing yards record

Bryce has arrived 😤 pic.twitter.com/Ek4kdvQ2ia

— FanDuel (@FanDuel) December 25, 2025

These are solid numbers in any context - but especially when you consider Young's situation, which includes one of the league's worst wide receiver rooms, a total lack of help at tight end and a head coach who regresses into preseason mode calling plays every other game.

Young doesn't have the firepower around him to blow away any team in the NFL - the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3 were playing so poorly they don't even count. What matters in the absence of that great supporting cast is that Young gets the job done when he needs to and consistently makes plays when they matter most.

That's the element that's helped Young produce 12 game winning drives in 14 of his career wins at this level. That says a lot about the Panthers, but also about Young, who has a low-key but still legitimate clutch gene in him.

It's a tall task to upset the Seattle Seahawks, who are one of the greatest teams to come along in the last 50 years going by DVOA. If the Panthers can get it done, it will be the third time this season that they will have upended the No. 1 seed in the conference.

That happening once can be written off as an accident - twice it's more difficult. If Young can and the Panthers can pull it off again it will be proof of a pattern. This Carolina team may be inconsistent, but they're just dangerous enough to beat anybody on any given Sunday.

- Enjoy more free Panthers coverage with Carolina Panthers on SI -

Why Panthers-Seahawks could be most-intriguing Week 17 game

NFL expert’s Week 17 picks spell doom for Panthers’ playoff hopes

NFL great Ochocinco believes Panthers are capable of great things

How the Panthers stack up in NFC playoff picture after Christmas