The Carolina Panthers made the bold decision to bench Bryce Young during the 2024 NFL season. Although he later regained his starting role, head coach Dave Canales has now made one thing clear to the young quarterback about that move.
Bryce Young‘s NFL journey has been a roller coaster of emotions. After being selected as the 1st overall pick in 2023, he struggled through a difficult 2024 season, nearly leading to a trade due to inconsistent performances.
During that campaign, Young was benched in favor of Andy Dalton. However, he reclaimed the starting job a few weeks later and went on to deliver some impressive performances for the Panthers.
HC Dave Canales opens up about benching Bryce Young in 2024
Bryce Young entered his second NFL season with high expectations. While his rookie year was far from spectacular, the Panthers believed he simply needed time to adjust and develop his skills.
Unfortunately, the former Alabama star fell short of those expectations. Early in the 2024 season, Dave Canales decided to bench him in favor of veteran Andy Dalton—a move that many saw as the beginning of the end for Young in Carolina.
Amid swirling trade rumors, Young regained his starting role after Dalton suffered a serious hand injury. Fortunately for the former No. 1 overall pick, he finished the season strong, solidifying his status as the franchise’s potential future.
Canales has since spoken about his decision to bench Young, explaining that the young quarterback embraced the challenge and used it as motivation to improve, which was exactly what the team had hoped for.
“I did not know how he was going to respond to that,” Canales said of Young’s benching. “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 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. He never stopped leading through that whole time. He was working his teammates in the locker room, he was working the sideline during games, he was there as support for Andy while he was playing. He literally did not bow out. 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.”
Could the Panthers still trade Bryce Young?
Despite his strong finish to the 2024 season, Bryce Young’s future in Carolina remains uncertain. As a former 1st overall pick, the Panthers expect him to develop into a game-changing player capable of leading them to success.
Reports suggest that Carolina explored trading Young last season, but his late-season resurgence convinced them to hold off. However, a trade in 2025 is still on the table, and his performance next season will likely determine whether he remains the team’s long-term solution at quarterback.