The Carolina Panthers are fostering optimism for the 2025 season following a challenging year marked by the development of their young quarterback, Bryce Young. As the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Young stepped into a franchise that had endured five consecutive losing seasons. In his rookie season, he started 16 of the team’s 17 games, completing 59.8 percent of his passes for 2,877 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
Despite facing significant challenges, including being sacked 62 times and losing six of his 11 fumbles, Young’s potential shone through, particularly as the season progressed. His performance was under scrutiny as he struggled to find the end zone, rushing for 253 yards without scoring a touchdown.
Recent insights from CBS Sports highlight a reason for renewed hope. In a piece revisiting the optimism surrounding each NFL team post-free agency and draft, writer Tyler Sullivan emphasized Young’s impressive closing performance in the 2024 season.
Late Season Surge Offers Hope
In the final three games of last season, Young showcased his abilities with a passer rating of 111.6, completing 64.8 percent of his attempts, throwing seven touchdowns without any interceptions, and rushing for 100 yards and three additional touchdowns. Sullivan noted, “If he is remotely close to those numbers for an entire season, it’ll completely change the fortunes of the franchise.”
Looking at Young’s performance from Week 8 onward, he played 10 games where he achieved a completion rate of 61.8 percent, amassing 2,104 passing yards and 15 touchdown passes, against just six interceptions. He also added 223 rushing yards and five touchdowns during this stretch, contributing to the Panthers winning four of those ten games.
End of a Drought in Sight?
The Panthers have not reached the playoffs or finished with a winning record since 2017. With Young’s development, there is cautious optimism that both of these streaks could come to an end in 2025. His third season in the NFL may indeed be the turning point the franchise has been striving for.
As the Panthers move forward, the focus will remain on Young’s growth and the strategies implemented by head coach Dave Canales. The upcoming season will be crucial in determining whether this young quarterback can lead the team back to prominence in the competitive landscape of the NFL.
The Carolina Panthers’ future now hinges on the potential of Bryce Young, who, despite a rocky start, has shown the promise of becoming a pivotal player for the franchise. Fans and analysts alike will be watching closely as the 2025 season approaches, hoping for a rejuvenated team ready to reclaim its place in the league.
