Undoubtedly, one of the storylines of the week in the NFL involved the Carolina Panthers and QB Bryce Young. After starting the season with two losses, head coach Dave Canales decided to bench him in Week 3, prompting a historic former coach of Young from Alabama to share his opinion on the matter.
The situation between Young and the Panthers garnered such attention that even a legendary coach got involved. The individual in question is none other than the iconic Nick Saban, a highly respected voice in the world of American football.
During an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, Saban noted that one of the challenges of being the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft is that Young ended up on a struggling team, making it more difficult for him to achieve immediate success.
“You may go to a team that doesn’t have all the pieces you need. I think the Bears this year, that’s not really the case. [Caleb Williams] has some pieces there, but Carolina did not, and they have to build this thing from the ground up,” he said.
Head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts to a play during the third quarter against the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 02, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia.
“I hate to see Bryce Young get benched, but I also don’t see a lot of opportunity for him to be successful based on the skill players & offensive line around him, and I think he’s the type of player that can operate well when he has good players around him.”
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Saban said he’s confident that Young will use his time in bench to improve as a player: “He’s [Young] always been a guy that sort of improved from his failings. So hopefully this will be an opportunity for him to do it again.”
Saban and Young: A relationship that began in Alabama
Nick Saban was Bryce Young’s coach from 2020 to 2022, witnessing the young quarterback achieve remarkable individual success in the NCAA and also SEC. This included winning the 2021 Heisman Trophy and being named the SEC Offensive Player of the Year.
The talented quarterback also served as the backup to Mac Jones on the Alabama team that triumphed over Ohio State 52-24 in the 2020 NCAA National Championship game.
Bryce Young #9 of the Alabama Crimson Tide warms up prior to facing the Auburn Tigers at Jordan-Hare Stadium on November 27, 2021 in Auburn, Alabama.
Young and his feelings about being benched
While both Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers’ performances in the first two weeks were inconsistent, a drastic shift in direction from head coach Dave Canales regarding the QB was not anticipated.
Once the decision was confirmed to bench the former Alabama QB and allow Andy Dalton to start, Bryce Young expressed his surprise regarding his coach’s choice.
“For me, looking in the mirror first, we all have that mindset of wanting to be better. You look at plays that could be executed better. You have to learn from them,” said Young.
