Why one small moment in training camp may have changed Panthers' entire 2023 season
One small moment that likely went mostly unnoticed may have changed the Carolina Panthers' 2023 season….and maybe the the future of the franchise. Ok, maybe that's a bit dramatic. But there was a moment this week involving rookie quarterback Bryce Young that was extremely important in regards to his future in Carolina and the success […]
One small moment that likely went mostly unnoticed may have changed the Carolina Panthers' 2023 season….and maybe the the future of the franchise.
Ok, maybe that's a bit dramatic. But there was a moment this week involving rookie quarterback Bryce Young that was extremely important in regards to his future in Carolina and the success of the franchise moving forward.
Young, along with other rookies, participated in a rookie talent show during training camp. And Young, who is as polished as a rookie can be when it comes to handling the media, finally showed some of his personality, which in turn earned the respect of his veteran teammates — an important moment that had to happen if Young is truly going to be Carolina's savior.
Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson was asked about Young's performance at the rookie talent show and he gave a juicy answer that suggested that Carolina's veterans have fully accepted the rookie quarterback as their team leader thanks in part to the talent show.
"He set the stage," said Thompson when asked about Young's talent show performance. "We just saw the personality out of him, you know what I mean? It was like s–t, I can get behind that. You know what I mean? So that was good for us to see — good for him to be up there. I think it went well with everybody — everybody respected it. We had fun with it. It shocked us that he has so much personality. It was it was dope. When you first get in here, you got to earn that trust."
As for how it's working out on the football field for Bryce?
Thompson told reporters that he's seeing a lot of good things from the former Alabama quarterback.
"Not a lot of balls but on the ground," said Thompson. "He's making smart plays. If nobody's there, he throws it away. He's making smart decisions, smart checks. Getting the guys in the right reads, right routes. I don't know a lot about the offense, but to me it looks like he's doing everything a starter should be doing. He looks like a veteran controlling the huddle, controlling guys He's out there having fun."
The note about Young's on-field performance is certainly encouraging, though not surprising if you watched him play at Alabama.
Thompson's comment about Young earning respect from team via his rookie talent show performance is far more important.
Every team in the NFL has elite talent. And every team has a quarterback that's physically capable of making special plays on Sundays. What really takes a team to the next level is chemistry, leadership, and shared goals. For the last few years, that wasn't something the Panthers had. But with Young under center, it feels like Carolina is entering an era that's certain to be filled with bright moments. And Thompson's comments about Young being a player that he can "get behind" only leads credence to that line of thinking.
Bryce Young can make Panthers history with his first snap
Rookie quarterback Bryce Young can make Carolina Panthers history with his first snap in the NFL
Featured image via Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
