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One of the best stories of the 2024 NFL season has been the surprise resurgence of Carolina Panther quarterback Bryce Young.
After Carolina’s Week 2 game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Young was benched in favor of veteran quarterback Andy Dalton, having recorded 31 completions for 245 yards and three interceptions.
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At this point, NFL fans and experts all thought that the young quarterback’s career was over. However, it appears that he wasn’t done yet.
Dalton sprained his thumb in a car accident, and Young came back with a vengeance, completing 24 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns.
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Young would go on to remain the starter for the rest of the season, leading the Panthers to a 5-12 record (3-8 with him as a starter) and third place in the NFC South.
In total, Young completed 315 passes for 2,877 yards and 11 touchdowns across 13 games while also rushing 38 times for 225 yards and four touchdowns.
This is a vast improvement over his previous season, where he completed 209 passes for 2,152 yards and 12 touchdowns.
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Young’s improvement was most evident in his final game of the season, where he led the Panthers to a 44-38 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in overtime.
In this game, Young completed 25 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for 24 yards and two touchdowns.
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According to a report from Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network, Carolina owners David and Nicole Tepper were incredibly happy with how Young has improved.
“Caught up with Panthers owners David and Nicole Tepper briefly after their team’s win over Falcons – both had wide smiles,” Wolfe said. “David Tepper told me: ‘A real good win. I think we’ve got our QB here.'”
Caught up with Panthers owners David and Nicole Tepper briefly after their team’s win over Falcons – both had wide smiles.
David Tepper told me: “A real good win. I think we’ve got our QB here.”
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) January 5, 2025
This is certainly an exciting development for Young, who was on the verge of being called a bust for how has NFL career started out.
Now, especially given how he performed in clutch situations, it seems like Carolina has found its quarterback for at least the near future.
As the 2024 NFL season comes to an end, Young has proven that he can carry a team to victory. Hopefully, he will continue that success with Carolina next season.
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