Cam Newton is looking forward to seeing what Bryce Young does with the Carolina Panthers in 2024. While appearing on the Club Shay Shay podcast, Newton told host Shannon Sharpe he offered some advice to Young, who struggled during his rookie season.
“I remember having a brief conversation with him during Super Bowl, I saw him at a party,” Newton said. “I think he needs to understand that voicing his opinion is important. Some quarterbacks have that freedom to and some don’t. You ain’t at the age where you can tell us who or what you want, but you have to. Every offensive coordinator asks their quarterback this question – Game on the line, 3rd and 4, 3rd and 8, got to have it situation who would you prefer to throw the football to?
“So game on the line or going into the season, what do you need to be successful? And he needs to have those answers for that. Bryce has to be open to doing that. Not doing it publicly, but doing it behind the scenes and say listen, if we get this person in the draft, this is who I want. I need to be protected.”
Young finished the 2023 season with 2,877 yards, 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while completing 60 percent of his passes in 16 games. With Young as the starting quarterback, the Panthers won just two games, and the last time the team won two games or less in a season was in 2010, one year before Newton was drafted by the Panthers.
Bryce Young will ‘benefit’ from his struggles in 2023
In February, Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning said Young struggles in 2023 will help him in the long run. “His experience is just going to help this year,” Manning said at the Pro Bowl, per the Panthers’ official website. “I know it wasn’t easy, but my rookie year was tough, won three games with 28 picks. But it’s better being in there struggling than being on the sideline watching.
“So, I think he will benefit from that, learning the speed of the game. Look, Bryce played at the highest level of competition, playing in Alabama, but there’s still an adjustment. I think he’s—you can figure out what you can do and what you can’t do, and he’ll benefit from that and be better for it.”
Young, who won a Heisman Trophy and national championship at Alabama, is hoping to have the same success Newton did when he was with the Panthers. From 2011-2019 Newton led the Panthers to three NFC South titles and a Super Bowl appearance in 2015. Also in 2015, Newton won the MVP award.
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