Youth quarterback Bryce Young, the first pick of the 2023 Draft, is facing a difficult moment in his career as he has been benched by the Carolina Panthers after two games in the current NFL season, in favor of the mediocre veteran Andy Dalton.
The Panthers lost both games by a wide margin: first against the New Orleans Saints and this past Sunday in Charlotte against the Los Angeles Chargers.
This is the first time since the Super Bowl era began in the late 1960s that a quarterback drafted as the number one overall pick has been demoted to a backup role. Young also had a very poor 2023 season, exacerbated by the outstanding performance of C.J. Stroud with the Houston Texans, who was the second overall pick in the 2023 Draft.
Despite these setbacks, the young player has the support of a prominent figure and sports icon in the United States: LeBron James.
Last Tuesday night, the veteran Lakers player and recent gold medalist at the Paris Olympics showed his support for Young through a message on his X account, formerly known as Twitter. In his post, James defended the quarterback, suggesting that the difficulties do not solely fall on the player's shoulders.
“Bryce Young, hold ya head! Rooting for you and know this ain’t on you. Continue to put the work in and it shal prevail!”, LeBron wrote.
Is Young really the one to blame for what is happening in Carolina?
Young's responsibility in the Carolina Panthers crisis has been widely debated in the NFL.
LeBron James' intervention in this conversation further expanded the debate on the handling of the young athlete's career.
On one hand, many believe that the Panthers franchise has not properly supported their young quarterback. The lack of a solid offensive line has been evident, leaving Young vulnerable on the field. This is compounded by the lack of quality in the wide receiver and running back positions, significantly limiting the team's offensive options.
The Panthers had a star receiver in D.J. Moore, but they sent him to the Chicago Bears in exchange for the first overall pick in the 2023 Draft, precisely to retain the rights of Young, who had great seasons at the University of Alabama.
Furthermore, the instability in the team's management has not favored Young's development. His first coach, Frank Reich, was fired halfway through his season and in 2024 Dave Canales arrived, who apparently did not like what he saw from the young quarterback on and off the field.
In addition to this, Carolina Panthers is an organization that has been in crisis almost constantly since it was acquired by David Tepper in 2018.