Bryce Young was down and out. He was broken, confidence-sapped, and everything in between. The Carolina Panthers needed to take drastic action to salvage the quarterback's career.
Dave Canales is a smart coach. Hae could see that his signal-caller was at an early crossroads. He was brave enough to take him out of the firing line after just two games following a woeful start to the campaign.
The criticism was scathing once the decision became public knowledge. Many — including some in Young's camp according to reports after the tough decision to bench him — thought Canales had given up on the former No. 1 overall selection too soon. Speculation regarding a trade and proclamations of the Heisman Trophy winner being the biggest bust in league history were rampant across the media.
Nothing materialized. And just a few short months later, benching Young looks like a franchise-altering masterstroke.
Canales didn't make things easy for Young. He wanted to challenge him. He needed the former Alabama standout to embrace his new reality and fight with everything he had to improve. It was a risky strategy that could have gone either way.
Thankfully, Young displayed the correct resolve. He learned from the sidelines and built back confidence away from competitive action. He focused on being a good teammate and some significant self-reflection in the hope he'd be ready when another opportunity arrived.
Carolina Panthers benching Bryce Young saved QB's career
A strike of misfortune for veteran Andy Dalton, who was involved in a car accident before Week 8, thrust Young back into the spotlight. Not exactly ideal, but the Mater Dei High School product couldn't afford to waste what could have been his final chance to change the narrative.
Young looked like a different player. His confidence increased exponentially. There were notable footwork improvements that helped navigate the pocket effectively. The wasted movements were few and far between. He was making smart decisions and being more aggressive.
It wasn't perfect, not by a long shot. There was the odd bad performance, but the overall body of work over the second half of 2024 was immensely encouraging. Young is playing with swagger and a smile on his face again. Everyone believes something special could be brewing, including Canales.
The head coach left no doubt regarding Young's status after his sensational showing in Week 18 at the Atlanta Falcons. Canales stated emphatically that the Panthers have their quarterback. This represented a full-circle moment for the player that must have brought some inner satisfaction.
Young is not the finished product. He's given himself a fighting chance of a long career, but becoming complacent is not an option.
Canales will keep his foot on the gas regarding Young's development. His enthusiastic, methodical approach got a positive response from the group despite results not going their way all the time. Once the personnel is upgraded by general manager Dan Morgan throughout the offseason, it would be surprising if further growth didn't come in 2025.
Young is at the forefront. Canales managed to find the right balance between an arm around the shoulder and dishing out some harsh truths to his fledgling signal-caller. Not many would have had the courage to bench him just two games into their head coaching tenure. The former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator took a big risk that paid off handsomely.
The Panthers go into the offseason with more optimism and stability than ever. Canales deserves all the credit in the world for trusting his instincts and doing what he felt was right to save Young.
A decision that will be talked about for years if Young becomes a franchise-caliber performer long-term.