It took several games and a benching, but the year-two leap that Carolina Panthers QB Bryce Young was expected (and needed) to make finally happened. He played brilliantly down the stretch without much around him and with a historically bad defense on the other side.
He made great strides, and that is a big reason for the confidence surrounding the Panthers. But for Young, that doesn't matter. It's a new year, so the slate has been wiped clean and he's working from square one to continue getting better.
"For me, it all resets year by year," the quarterback said via NFL.com. "We're able to finish on a strong note, which is great, but we're starting next year 0-0, and it doesn't carry over. We understand that we have to build off of that stuff; we're not just entitled to it."
Young noted that he wants to ensure he is "working just as hard, if not harder, in the offseason" to create good habits, be consistent, and do all the little things. "We all have that mindset which I'm grateful to be a part of a team like that," he added.
Young was sent to the bench after just two games in his sophomore season. They were awful outings. Then, when he returned after an Andy Dalton car crash seven weeks later, the quarterback looked like a totally different player.
He grew a ton over the last few months of the season, but he's not counting any of that. Year three is a new one, and he's working to ensure he doesn't start as poorly as he did last year to try and help the Panthers end their lengthy playoff drought.
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