Old North Banter
Fansided

Andy Dalton Makes Interesting Comments About Bryce Young Benching

The veteran quarterback replaced Young as the Panthers' starter in Week 3, but eventually saw the young QB reclaim the job weeks later.

By Jovan Alford

Nov 3, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton (14) before a game against the New Orleans Saints at Bank of America Stadium.
Nov 3, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton (14) before a game against the New Orleans Saints at Bank of America Stadium. / Scott Kinser-Imagn Images
facebooktwitterreddit

The Carolina Panthers made one of the more puzzling moves earlier this season when they benched second-year quarterback Bryce Young after the first two weeks for veteran QB Andy Dalton.

Head coach Dave Canales’ decision to go with Dalton paid off quickly, as the Panthers won their first game of the season over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3. The vet signal-caller completed 70.3 percent of his passes for 319 yards and three touchdowns.

However, things went south for Dalton and the Panthers as they lost their next four games. As for Dalton, he completed 65.5 percent of his passes for four touchdowns and six interceptions over that stretch. The veteran QB was also sacked five times.

Surprisingly, Carolina went back to Young in Week 8 after Dalton was in a car accident and suffered a sprained thumb in late October. The young quarterback never gave up the starting job for the rest of the regular season. 

In a detailed story about Young’s progression this season written by Joe Person of The Athletic, Dalton gave an interesting comment on how the situation played out.

"I think he will look back and he’ll probably be happy he did with how it all played out — not necessarily knowing that it was gonna go back (to Young) and Bryce was going to do what he was doing.

It’s a tough decision for a first-year head coach to make two games into the season. But I think for him it’s understanding the whole team and all the players that are involved in it. Sometimes it gives you a spark."

- Andy Dalton

If Dalton never suffers the sprained thumb, does he keep the starting job in the second half of the season? Maybe. But with how things played out, the Panthers eventually had to figure out what they had in Young and he showed up.

In the final 10 games of the regular season, Young threw for 2,104 yards, 15 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He also added 223 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. Carolina hopes Young is ready to take that next step in 2025 as its franchise guy.

More Panthers news and analysis:

feed

Home/Carolina Panthers