The Carolina Panthers have played like the worst team in the NFL and they have the worst record in the NFL to support the eye test.
The Panthers made the shocking move earlier in the season to bench quarterback Bryce Young in just his second year in the league. Veteran Andy Dalton stepped in and led the Carolina to its only win of the season, but after that, the Panthers regressed to their old selves.
In a surprising development, Dalton was involved in a car accident on Tuesday that left him with a sprained thumb. Head coach Dave Canales announced on Wednesday that the accident has put Young back in line to start.
“He approached it with such class and integrity, you know, this hard situation, and now he gets to get back out there and play some football,” Canales said Wednesday about Young, per the Panthers’ official site.
“He’s been an absolute stud through this whole process. He’s been engaged and involved in what we’re doing and excited about this opportunity. And I’m fired up for him to just have another opportunity to get in there and play some football.”
Young was honest about being ready for the job.
“It doesn’t feel different,” Young said. “It’s football. It’s a game, the same game that I’ve been playing and that we’ve been playing. So, again, it’s the same practice field and the same meetings, regardless of what it is. It’s just doing everything I can to help the team win. Doing everything I can do to contribute and follow the game plan and all we can throughout the week to put ourselves in this situation.”
“My job is always, no matter what, it would be the same level of preparation. You always have to prepare like you’re going to play no matter where it is. So, it doesn’t change my approach or anything.
“For me, I never was out of it. That’s just out of respect for the game and respect for the team, and knowing just how the league is. There’s never a, take a step back or phone it in for a week. I have too much love for a game to do that.”
Hopefully, Young is able to prove that he belongs in the league and deserves another shot to take the reins permanently.
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.