LeBron James made his feelings clear about the Carolina Panthers benching Bryce Young just two games into the 2024 NFL season.
Unexpected Decision
First-year head coach Dave Canales shocked many by benching Bryce Young, the top pick in the 2023 draft, after a rough start and a big loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Instead of sticking with Young, Canales chose veteran Andy Dalton as the new starter.
LeBron’s Support
LeBron took to social media to back up the young quarterback. He tweeted:
Bryce Young hold ya head Young ๐คด๐พ!! Rooting for you and know this ainโt on you! Continue to put the work in and it shall prevail! ๐๐พ๐ซก๐
— LeBron James (@KingJames)
“Bryce Young hold ya head Young !! Rooting for you and know this ainโt on you! Continue to put the work in and it shall prevail!” โ LeBron James (@KingJames)
Tough Start for Young
Bryce Young has had a challenging start in his NFL career with a 2-16 record. In his first two games of 2024, he completed only 55.4% of his passes for 245 yards with no touchdowns and three interceptions. This move was even more surprising because Coach Canales had publicly supported him after their Week 2 loss.
Comparisons with Stroud
The decision to bench Young looks worse when compared to C.J. Stroud’s performance. The Panthers traded up for Young instead of picking Stroud, giving away wide receiver DJ Moore, multiple draft picks including their No.1 pick in 2024, and more.
Stroud led Houston Texans to a playoff win in his rookie year and started this season strong at 2-0. Over his career so far, he’s thrown for over 4,600 yards with an impressive touchdown-to-interception ratio.
Fans often wonder if Carolina regrets not picking Stroud instead of trading so much for Bryce.
Future Outlook
Given all they invested in him, it’s unlikely that the Panthers will give up on Bryce just yet. While Andy Dalton brings experience, Carolina’s problems are bigger than just one player. We might see Bryce back on the field soon enough
