It's not a stretch to say the vibes in Charlotte are as good as they've been in a long time. At 6-5, the Carolina Panthers are very much alive in the NFC South and in the NFC playoff picture. They feel good, and that hasn't been the case since their last playoff trip in 2017.
So it's not totally outrageous to suggest this is the best a Panthers fan has felt since then, when Cam Newton was carrying the Panthers to relevance and dabbing all over his opponents. It's fitting, then, that Bryce Young celebrated his record performance Sunday by dabbing himself, and Newton was the picture of joy seeing it.
Bryce Youn
Nov 16, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) calls out a play in the second quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
Bryce Young is not and never will be Cam Newton. As of now, an MVP from Young would be a huge surprise, as would a Super Bowl berth. But in Week 11, Young once again visited Atlanta and did his best Newton impression.
He had three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in Week 18 last year, something Newton never even did. This year, in Week 11, he broke Newton's single-game passing record with 448 yards, with 54 of them coming in overtime.
So it is perfect, then, that on that occasion, Young channeled Newton. A video has gone viral of Young's postgame celebration in the locker room, and he brought back Newton's signature dab celebration.
Watched this video 1000 times and counting….. pic.twitter.com/VBKF9QWeYZ
— Roaring Riot (@roaringriot) November 20, 2025
On his podcast, Newton reacted to the clip. When Young started dabbing, the former NFL MVP smiled, and his smile grew bigger and bigger as the clip played. Someone in a Panthers uniform dabbing is always a welcome sight for fans.
While there are still questions about Young's future, fans have long wanted to believe he was Newton's successor. The Panthers employed a QB carousel after cutting Newton in 2020, and none of them worked.
So they traded up for Young, who's had an extremely up-and-down career so far. But if he can keep up performances like that and maybe even bring back the dab, then the Panthers will be in good hands for the first time since Newton's prime.