Insider revelations outline Bryce Young's fury at Carolina Panthers' benching

Bryce Young is not happy.
Bryce Young
Bryce Young / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
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Bryce Young is a mild-mannered individual and softly spoken. He was never going to be the flamboyant leader the Carolina Panthers had when Cam Newton took the franchise to heights not experienced before. But insider revelations about his feeling towards being benched after just two games could light a fire under the quarterback that wasn't evident previously.

The Panthers took a drastic turn by removing Young from his starting position. Dave Canales feels like veteran backup Andy Dalton gives them the best possible chance to win right now. That's not a lofty sbar to aim for considering how things have unfolded up to now. It's also an early gamble that could define the head coach's tenure.

Bryce Young must put newfound fury to good use after Carolina Panthers' benching

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN did some digging about Young predicament. The senior insider revealed that the former Alabama star is extremely angry by the move, especially so early into his relationship with a supposed quarterback guru and with no real action during the preseason. He also pointed to his lack of vocal leadership as a primary reason why the Panthers went in this direction.

"[Bryce] Young was not only shocked by the decision but also upset. "He's pissed," a source said. Fiery is not Young's style. And while his poise was considered a strength coming out of Alabama and still can be one, his calm demeanor can be portrayed by some as a lack of urgency -- which can be tough for a young team finding its way. All of this brought Carolina to an axiom that's largely true in sports: Decisions that will be made eventually should be made now. The Panthers couldn't afford the growing pains at this stage."

Jeremy Fowler, ESPN

Young might be stung, but it's also hard to argue he shouldn't have seen this coming in some way. His performances haven't been good enough. What's important is using this newfound fury as a positive and displaying the fighting qualities needed to get off the canvas and earn another opportunity.

Whether that's in Carolina or elsewhere remains to be seen. Fowler claimed that he got the sense Young won't be traded right now. He could force the issue, but the Panthers lost their leverage in any negotiations once they sent the No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft to the background.

The former Alabama star had everything his way in high school and college. This is the first prolonged taste of adversity since starting his football journey. Things don't look great right now, but there's still time to turn things around.

This has to shatter the trust between Young and Canales. The league is a business and the head coach cannot afford to fall foul of David Tepper's axe to stick around long-term. He was brought in to fix Carolina's biggest investment. Giving up so early is a damning indictment of everyone involved if Dalton cannot pick things up.

What comes next is down to Young. The Panthers have abandoned him to a certain extent, preferring a veteran past the peak of his powers to the thought of having a confidence-sapped player in his second year take the reins. Proving them wrong is all the motivation he should need.

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