The Carolina Panthers benched quarterback Bryce Young Monday, just two games into the season. The Panthers are instead turning to 37-year-old Andy Dalton to replace the 2023 No. 1 overall pick.
Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James took to X to show support for Young after the benching.
“Bryce Young hold ya head up Young [king]! Rooting for you and know this ain’t on you! Continue to put the work in and it shall prevail!” James posted Tuesday.
Young struggled the first two weeks of the season.
The 23-year-old threw an interception on the first pass of his season against the New Orleans Saints in the season opener. The Panthers lost that game 47-10, and Young struggled, completing just 13 of his 30 pass attempts for 161 yards and two interceptions.
The next week was not much better for the former Alabama quarterback. Young threw for just 84 yards and an interception in the Panthers’ 26-3 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
PANTHERS TO BENCH BRYCE YOUNG IN FAVOR OF 3-TIME PRO BOWLER AFTER 2 GAMES: REPORT
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young walks off the field after the second half against the Los Angeles Chargers at Bank of America Stadium. (Jim Dedmon/Imagn Images)
In his rookie season, Young threw for 2,877 yards with 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions over 16 games, and the Panthers went 2-14 in those starts.
The Panthers are 2-16 in Young’s 18 career starts.
Dalton filled in for one game last season while Young was hurt and threw for 361 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
The Panthers are pulling the plug on Young despite the second-year quarterback being only two weeks into a new offensive system. New head coach Dave Canales played Young for just one series in the preseason.
The Panthers gave up a haul to the Chicago Bears to draft the 2021 Heisman winner with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft.
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young prepares to pass in the third quarter at Bank of America Stadium. (Bob Donnan/Imagn Images)
They gave up wide receiver DJ Moore, a 2023 first-round pick (used on OT Darnell Wright), a 2023 second-round pick (used on CB Tyrique Stevenson), a 2024 first-round pick (used on QB Caleb Williams) and a 2025 second-round pick.
All four of those players are starting for the Bears.
Dalton will look to lead the Panthers to their first win when they take on the Las Vegas Raiders Sunday.
