The Carolina Panthers chose Auburn quarterback Cam Newton with the first pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, then went 13-19 in the 2010 Heisman Trophy winner’s first two seasons. But in Newton’s third season, the Panthers posted a 12-4 mark.
Carolina chose Alabama quarterback Bryce Young with the first pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, then went 7-27 in the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner’s first two seasons.
Young’s third season starts on Sunday. Carolina hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2017, when Newton was still the quarterback.
“It’s a super pivotal year for the team,” Young said. “That’s what matters -- the team success, the work we put in, what’s important to us. We take it game-by-game, but our goal is to win, and that’s the most important thing to me. It’s the most important thing that it can be because that’s what matters to me.”
The Panthers open the 2025 NFL season against the Jacksonville Jaguars at noon CDT Sunday at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida.
Season-openers have not gone well for Young. In two Week 1 losses, he has completed 33-of-68 passes for 307 yards with one touchdown and four interceptions.
One more game after last year’s performance in a 47-10 loss to the New Orleans Saints, Young was benched by Carolina coach Dave Canales. He spent five games as a backup before returning to the lineup and re-establishing the Panthers’ faith in their No. 1 pick, particularly by throwing for seven touchdown touchdowns without an interception in the final three games of the 2024 season.
“It’s the most important game that we have,” Young said of Sunday’s opener, “because it’s the next one, because it’s all we got. All we’re focused on is Jacksonville, and we don’t have a right to look towards other weeks on down the season. Right now, it’s all about Jacksonville, so that’s our mentality.”
After using a first-round pick on South Carolina wide receiver Xavier Legette last year, Carolina took Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan in the first round this year.
But Young’s protection to use those receivers might not be ideal on Sunday. Left offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu had his appendix removed on Aug. 24, and his status for the game is listed as doubtful. Carolina’s guards also are dealing with injuries, but Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis are expected to play.
“We got a bunch of super, super tough guys,” Young said. “We have warriors up front. Unfortunately, they sometimes, you know, things happen, get a little banged up. Obviously, what happened with Icky, I feel for him. I know he wants to compete.”
Young’s rebound last season, when Carolina won four of its final nine games, has spawned some optimism for the Panthers’ second season under Canales.
Of the five quarterbacks drafted No. 1 in the seven years before Young held that position, none of their teams had a losing record in their third seasons – Jared Goff and the Los Angeles Rams went 13-3, Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns went 11-5, Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals went 11-6, Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals went 12-4 and Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars went 9-8.
“It’s a long offseason,” Young said. “You miss the game. You miss the sport. And, you know, camp was camp, was really good. It was competitive. Preseason, you kind of get to ramp off and get that taste of game play in the season. And now that it’s here, we’re all super grateful for that.”
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at@AMarkG1.
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