In a surprising and bold move, the Carolina Panthers have decided to bench their former overall draft pick, Bryce Young, and elevate seasoned veteran Andy Dalton to the starting quarterback position. This decision comes just two weeks into the NFL season, as reported by both NFL Network and ESPN on Monday.
The Panthers, currently standing at a disappointing 0-2, have struggled mightily in their offensive endeavors under new head coach Dave Canales. The team has managed to put up a mere 13 points combined in their first two games. Young, in particular, had a tough outing during Sunday’s 26-3 home loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, where he threw for only 84 yards on 26 attempts and tossed an interception.
According to ESPN, Young has now joined an unwanted club, becoming just the third player in the last 20 seasons to average 4 yards or less per pass in four consecutive starts. This season, he has yet to find the end zone and has thrown three interceptions, a concerning stat line for any starting quarterback.
Initially, Coach Canales stood by his young quarterback, committing to Young starting in Week 3 at Las Vegas (1-1). However, less than 24 hours later, he made the decisive call to turn the reins over to the veteran Dalton.
Dalton, at 36 years old, brings a wealth of experience, being a three-time Pro Bowl quarterback with a career record of 83-78-2 over 14 dynamic seasons. He has spent the last two seasons as the backup to Young, but his resume speaks volumes. Dalton has amassed an impressive 38,511 passing yards and 246 touchdowns against 144 interceptions over his career, with most of his success coming during his tenure with the Cincinnati Bengals (2011-19), who drafted him in the second round back in 2011.
This pivotal change could potentially revitalize the Panthers’ season and provide the spark needed to ignite their offense. All eyes will now be on Dalton as he steps back into the spotlight, aiming to lead Carolina back to winning ways. Stay tuned, football fans—this NFL season just got a lot more interesting!
