Panthers Bench Bryce Young, Andy Dalton Takes Over as Starting QB
By Joe Person, Lukas Weese, and Larry Holder
The Carolina Panthers have made a significant decision regarding their quarterback situation, opting to bench their 2023 No. 1 overall pick, Bryce Young, for the upcoming Week 3 clash against the Las Vegas Raiders. This decision has been confirmed by a league source on Monday. Andy Dalton, a seasoned veteran and three-time Pro Bowler, will take over the starting quarterback duties for the Panthers, according to the same source. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network was the first to break this story.
This move comes on the heels of the Panthers suffering their second consecutive blowout loss to kick off the season, with a disheartening 26-3 defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. Young, in that game, completed 18 of 26 passes, but those efforts amounted to a mere 84 yards, marking the fourth-lowest passing total in franchise history for a quarterback with at least 25 attempts.
On Monday, Panthers head coach Dave Canales elaborated on his decision to bench Young, stating that he made the call after reviewing the film from Sunday’s disappointing performance. He mentioned that he consulted with various personnel decision-makers before coming to this conclusion. Canales, however, refrained from disclosing the extent of Panthers owner David Tepper’s influence in this pivotal choice.
“Ultimately, this falls on me,” Canales remarked. “My primary responsibility is to ensure the Panthers achieve victory. This move, I believe, positions us best for success this week.” His comments marked a stark contrast to his earlier statements made after Sunday’s game, where he firmly declared, “Bryce is our quarterback.”
Dalton, now in his 14th season in the NFL, expressed his enthusiasm for stepping into this role. “I’m really looking forward to it,” Dalton said. “I’m excited about what lies ahead. It’s a challenging situation. I’ve experienced both sides of it. It’s tough on everyone involved.”
As it stands, the Panthers have managed to score a mere 13 points over their first two games. With the pressure mounting, Carolina is eager to avoid the grim fate of starting the season 0-3 for the second consecutive year when they face off against the Raiders in Las Vegas this Sunday.
