Bryce Young’s first three seasons with the Carolina Panthers have been anything but smooth sailing. After all, there was once a period of time in which they weren’t even sure if he was capable of being the long-term face of their franchise.
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Despite having more than twice as many losses as career wins, however, their surprise appearance in the 2025 playoffs helped to ease many of the concerns that surrounded him. Throw in the fact that he continues to have the support of Cam Newton, who happens to be one of the greatest quarterbacks in Panthers history, and it’s safe to say that things may finally be looking up for the 24-year-old.
“I’m super grateful for that,” Young noted in response to Newton’s praise of him throughout his 2024 benching.
“I grew up watching Cam and being a big fan of his game and obviously, all of the stuff that he was able to accomplish. But the real eye-opening things were him being in Carolina, being in the city… And how much of an impact he had on the city.”
That much was evident in Newton’s return to Bank of America stadium prior to the Panthers first playoff game in nearly a decade, which saw him host a live edition of his 4th & 1 podcast where he praised both Young and the city of Charlotte, North Carolina.
“He was out in the community a lot too,” Young referenced, suggesting that he himself is hoping to do more of the same.
“I try to do my best to be out in the community… A lot of people who grew up, who are now maybe in their 20s, are like ‘I was in high school and Cam came. They shut down the whole school. I’ll never forget that.’ I have a ton of respect for him. Him supporting me and giving me advice on things, it really means a lot.”
Suffice to say, even though the Panthers have yet to establish that winning tradition in Charlotte, their two most prominent signal callers throughout the past decade have still managed to help make the team feel like a special part of the community.
So even if a Lombardi trophy never gets delivered to the Queen City, they’ve at least been able to create some lasting memories for those who have been willing to hang in there with them, and that’s just alright for a couple of Carolina boys.
