Cincinnati Bengals icon Chad Johnson has been high on the Carolina Panthers for a hot minute. The former player turned analyst had high expectations for the NFC South team before the start of the season, naming them the team with the most chances to surprise NFL fans.
“I say the Panthers,” Johnson told The U.S. Sun. “I’m only high on the Panthers because what they’re doing is special.”
He mentioned quarterback Bryce Young as one of the reasons, noting that the former No. 1 overall pick was benched and came back stronger in 2024.
“Bryce Young got benched,” Johnson said. “He got benched, but he came back. I don’t know what he ate, I don’t know what prayer he said. But he came back out this world… phenomenal.”
Sixteen weeks into the 2025 season, the Panthers have real chances to win the NFC South and dethrone the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They sit at 8-7 with two games left, and Johnson remains high on the team.
Chad Johnson notes why the Panthers are building something special
During Monday’s edition of his joint “Nightcap” show with Shannon Sharpe, Johnson lauded the Panthers for pulling off wins while dealing with injuries and using an offense that could produce much more.
“Offensively, goddamn; Bryce Young, they’re not even in their bag yet,” Johnson said. “They’re not even using everybody at their disposal like they should. And they’re still pulling off these wins, upsetting these teams that, most of the time, if you were a betting man, you’d bet the other team was going to beat them!”
The Panthers will take on the Seattle Seahawks in Week 17, hoping to get a new win that would put them closer to the division title.