With Bryce Young's confidence shaken to unrecognizable levels over the first two games of 2024, Dave Canales took drastic action. And a recent admission from the Carolina Panthers head coach revealed what a monumental gamble it was.
Young being benched after two games was a huge call for the first-year head coach. Canales wasn't happy with what he saw initially and didn't want further regression to jeopardize his chances of making an immediate impact. Taking the No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft out of the firing line was a last resort, but a necessary one.
Dave Canales lauds Bryce Young for Carolina Panthers' turnaround in 2024
Canales acknowledged during his media availability at the NFL Scouting Combine that he had no clue how Young would respond to this setback. He had the team to think about, but the signal-caller used this adversity as a source of motivation to galvanize his career upon returning as the starter.
"I did not know how he was going to respond to that. What I knew was I needed to make the best decision for the Panthers at the time, and that’s truly, I want to win this game, and I felt like Andy [Dalton] gave us the chance to win that game in Vegas, and we went week to week. I don’t know if this model works, but I know it worked for Bryce. I know Bryce took the challenge, Bryce grew, he took every day as an opportunity. A lot of times you see these things happen and the quarterback all of a sudden starts to retreat. He just stayed available and was consistent with his teammates and kept working on his craft until he got his next opportunity. So I have to give Bryce all the credit."Dave Canales via Pro Football Talk
Taking Young out of the lineup could have gone either way. Thankfully for Canales, the Heisman Trophy winner is made of stern stuff.
Young stayed engaged. He developed his craft and regained confidence away from the spotlight. He watched Andy Dalton's preparation throughout the week and did everything to help, eagerly anticipating his next opportunity.
When it arrived — albeit in unfortunate circumstances following Dalton's car accident — Young was ready for the moment.
His production was much improved. Young's swagger returned and there was no moment too big. The higher the stakes, the more he thrived, going toe-to-toe with some of the league's heavyweights and picking up some valuable wins along the way.
In the 10 games Young started upon returning to the lineup, he completed 61.8 percent of his passes for 2,104 yards, 15 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He gained 223 rushing yards and five more scores on the ground en route to an 88.9 passer rating. More importantly, the Alabama product made believers of almost everybody.
Canales might not have known how Young was going to take being benched. However, he deserves endless credit for having the courage to make such a bold move so early into his head coaching tenure. He never wavered in his belief in the player. He just had to tweak his approach.
The results spoke for themselves. If Young builds on this newfound positivity during the offseason and the Panthers bolster his supporting cast, there's just no telling what could be accomplished long-term.