Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud and Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young have known each other since they were young. The two grew up playing youth football and AAU basketball against one another.
The bond between the pair started well before their joint training camp practice under the blistering August heat.
“That’s my brother,” each said of the other, in separate interviews after the joint session wrapped, per the Panthers’ official website.
However, Stroud has undoubtedly had an easier go of things as a professional. Young was benched early last year in favor of veteran Andy Dalton, in their second seasons in the NFL, and only reclaimed the starting job after Dalton suffered a wrist injury in a car accident.
In his return to the starting role, Young showed that he’d turned a corner and never relinquished the job again. Now, Stroud is sharing just how proud he is of Young and what he showed in the second half of the season.
“He’s very even keeled, very to himself. I think I’ve seen a dog come out of him that he has that a lot of people haven’t seen,” Stroud said. “But I know he dealt with some frustrations. I think it’s good that we go through these ups and downs to refocus you back on what’s important.
“I think he had that, and I had that last year as well. I think he bounced back like he should, and we all know he can. He’s a heck of a player, one of the best quarterbacks I’ve ever seen in my life. He needs some help around him too.
“I’m just really proud of that guy. Just the same way he said about me, through every ups and downs, every valley and peak, he stayed the same guy, stayed loyal and stayed a friend and a brother. So, I’m very appreciative of him.”
It’ll be interesting to see what year three has in store for the two young franchise quarterbacks.
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.