Watch: Bryce Young throws 17-yard TD pass vs. Buccaneers

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) calls a play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Watch: Panthers QB Bryce Young continues to improve with 17-yard TD pass vs. Buccaneers

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Dec 29, 2024 2:16 PM ET

Quarterback Bryce Young's flashes should have the Carolina Panthers feeling encouraged about his future.

Early in the first quarter of Sunday's road game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the 2023 No. 1 overall pick stepped up in the pocket on a 2nd-and-10, throwing a 17-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Adam Thielen.

Bryce Young steps up in the pocket and gets it to Adam Thielen for SIX

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Young was benched in favor of Andy Dalton after posting an abysmal 45 passer rating in his first two starts.

After Dalton suffered a right-thumb injury in a minor car accident, Young reassumed the starting role in Week 8.

Entering Sunday's matchup, he has thrown 10 touchdown passes and logged a slightly below-average 83 passer rating over his past eight starts. Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Steve Young has been impressed with his improvement.

"What you're seeing today in the last few weeks is 'Hey look, I can survive here,' and if you can survive, you can thrive," the Pro Football Hall of Famer recently said of the Panthers QB on Barstool Sports' "Pardon My Take."

If the 23-year-old QB keeps progressing, the Panthers should keep trying to build around him in 2025.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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