It’s been a rough start for the Carolina Panthers. And for quarterback Bryce Young, the 2025 season continues to be a rollercoaster of epic proportions.
In a recent Sportsnaut piece breaking down the NFL’s biggest disappointments this season, Young’s name made the list. Cue the collective eyerolls among the fan base.
For a quarterback once viewed as the spark to turn this franchise around, it’s a harsh reminder of how far things still have to go. Especially since coming into his third NFL season — and second under head coach Dave Canales — optimism surrounded Young after he closed out 2024 with encouraging flashes.
Last season, he completed 64.8 percent of his passes for 612 yards, seven touchdowns, and no interceptions over Carolina’s final three games.
Carolina Panthers need more consistency from Bryce Young moving forward
That stretch sparked the belief that Young was finally turning the corner. Instead, the first month of 2025 has looked painfully familiar. Through five games, Young has completed 60.9% of his passes for 951 yards, seven touchdowns, and four interceptions, averaging just 5.5 yards per attempt.
There have been glimpses of progress, as evidenced in Week 5 against the Miami Dolphins after he recovered from two early turnovers to accumulate 198 passing yards and two scores. Still, those flashes have been rare, not routine.
The Panthers are 2-3 with no help from quarterback play. In fact, the win over Miami can be heavily attributed to Rico Dowdle rushing for 206 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries, together with 28 receiving yards, for 234 total yards from scrimmage.
The same issues that we saw in Young’s first two seasons are still there: missed throws under pressure, stalled drives, and stretches where the offense looks completely lost. While his sack rate has improved from seven percent to four, that progress hasn’t translated to steady success.
At 24 years old, Young still has time to develop, but the trend over nearly three seasons is hard to ignore. He’s now up to 25 career losses in a Panthers uniform, a number that’s as alarming as it is telling.
For comparison, Patrick Mahomes didn’t reach his 25th career loss until his ninth season. Young reached that mark before the midpoint of Year 3.
Sure, the Panthers' problems go far beyond one player, but in today’s NFL, everything starts with the quarterback. Young’s early-season regression has officially landed him in uncomfortable territory, not just as a disappointment, but as the face of one of the league’s most directionless franchises.
If Carolina wants to salvage this season and Young’s confidence, the consistency has to start now.