CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Carolina Panthers have decided to bench 2023 No. 1 pick Bryce Young after the second-year quarterback’s rough start to the season, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press on Monday because coach Dave Canales has not yet addressed the situation.
Andy Dalton would take over as the starter for Sunday’s game in Las Vegas.
Young completed just 31 of 56 passes for 244 yards with three interceptions as the Panthers started 0-2 and were outscored 73-13 by the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Chargers. Young has run for one touchdown, the only one of the season for Carolina.
Young is 2-16 as a starter since the Panthers traded up eight spots in the 2023 draft to get him. They made a significant investment in that deal with the Chicago Bears, trading wide receiver DJ Moore and four draft picks — one of which turned out to be the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft after the Panthers finished a league-worst 2-15 last season.
Canales is expected to address reporters about the decision Monday. He had said after Sunday’s 26-3 loss to the Chargers that Young would remain his starter. But that changed Monday.
Young hasn’t looked much like a No. 1 pick since his arrival, continually looking flustered in the pocket and often making poor decisions and throwing into double coverage.
He becomes the first quarterback selected No. 1 in the common draft era, starting in 1967, to be benched for non-injury reasons in his second season.
His first throw this season was an interception against the Saints and things only seem to have gotten worse. He was booed repeatedly by the home crowd Sunday after the offense stalled time and time again. Carolina was 1 of 12 on third down and was outgained 349-159.
When asked about his confidence after the game, Young said: “I draw my confidence from the Lord. I’m very blessed. I’m grateful for this challenge. Not an ideal start, but God does everything for a reason. I have faith in that.”
Young said he needed to do a better job with his decision-making.
“You always want to make a play. You want to do something,” he said. “Obviously part of the position is being the game manager. Some bad instances of that on film today. I definitely take accountability for that.”
Dalton is 83-78-2 as an NFL starter, including one start last season with the Panthers. He has thrown 246 touchdown passes and 144 interceptions since coming into the league in 2011 with the Cincinnati Bengals.