The Carolina Panthers were a surprise team this past NFL season. They snuck into the playoffs with an 8-9 record and lost a close postseason game to the Los Angeles Rams, 34-31. Despite expectations remaining low for the Panthers, they made the jump to the postseason largely because of Bryce Young's improved play under center, showcasing how valuable he could be for Carolina overall.
Young appeared on the most recent episode of “The Pat McAfee Show” and said he is always trying to grow and improve in the NFL. He said that everyone has their own journey in the NFL, and when the margin for error is so small, it can lead to many different outcomes.
Last season, Young had a career-best season across the board. He threw for 3,011 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions while completing 63.6% of his passes. It marked the first time Young flashed his true potential as an NFL quarterback.
Responding to his critics and how they may have written him and his time with the Panthers off early, Young said, “I don’t individually, or we as a team, we don’t pay a lot of attention to outside noise. I’m a fan of sports as well, so I’m grateful for anyone who has an opinion. That means they care and support, which I appreciate. But for us, we can only afford to focus on the task at hand, focus on us, and what we’re doing in the building. I appreciate that challenge.”
The season was a breakout, but it was far from perfect. The Panthers still finished with an 8-9 record and fumbled multiple opportunities to clinch the NFC South on their own. They only made the postseason because the Falcons beat the Saints in Week 18.
The Panthers also have a lot of talent to build around with Bryce Young. The two biggest are Tetairoa McMillan out wide and Rico Dowdle in the backfield. McMillan had a fantastic rookie season as Young's new favorite wide receiver, and Dowdle emerged as a new starter in the backfield.
