Bryce Young’s Impressive Start Earns Much-Deserved Praise

This past season proved to be somewhat of a breakthrough year for the young quarterback, but it certainly was not without its flaws. Young threw for a career-high 3,011 yards, and his 23 TD passes were also a personal best. However, he did show a knack for late-game heroics.

However, there were also 15 turnovers in 16 regular-season outings. Young was picked off in the first quarter of the Panthers’ playoff loss to the Rams, but finished the game with 264 yards through the air and one score, plus rushed for a touchdown.

Now it is 2026 and after four games, the reigning NFC South champions own a 2-2 record are coming off an impressive 32-26 prime time triumph over the visiting Detroit Lions. They are tied with the Atlanta Falcons for the best record in the division. Canales’s club is off this week.

Panthers’ QB Bryce Young has enjoyed an eye-opening start to 2026

NFL writer Mike Jones of The Athletic came up with his “quarter-season superlatives” for the 2026 season. When it came to a player or a team making what he referred to as the “biggest leap,” he singled out Carolina’s rising signal-caller.

“After a rocky first two seasons, Bryce Young displayed promise down the stretch of last season and helped Carolina end its playoff drought. He ranked No. 21 in passing (3,011 yards) and No. 27 in passer rating (87.8), but comfort in coach Dave Canales’s offense has translated into strong results this season.”

It’s been quite the start for the 25-year-old performer. He leads the NFL with 1,268 yards through the air, and currently ranks 10th in the league in passer rating (100.0). Young has hit on 62.3 percent of his throws, connecting for nine scores compared to only two interceptions. He has not fumbled this season, despite being sacked 10 times, and does have one rushing touchdown.

Bryce Young is a different player than he was 4 weeks into 2025

For comparison, let’s take a look at how the 2025 season started out for the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner. The team lost its first two games and actually got off to a 1-3 start. Young was connecting on just 60.4 of his attempts for only 753 yards. There were 5 touchdown passes, three interceptions, and a pair of lost fumbles (1 retuned for a touchdown). He was sacked just six times, and his 77.1 passer rating ranked a dismal 27th in the league.

Talk about improvement? Instead of leap, it’s more like leaps and bounds for the Panthers’ quarterback. He and his teammates return to action on October 18. It will be fascinating to see if Canales’s club can build off that impressive win over the Lions, and Young can pick up where he left off after a strong four-game performance.