CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Bryce Young will make his fourth straight start at quarterback for the Carolina Panthers on Sunday against the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
Panthers coach Dave Canales made the announcement Monday after the team returned to practice following a bye week.
The Panthers won back-to-back games for the first time since 2022 before the bye with victories over the New Orleans Saints and New York Giants — the latter of which was played in Germany — with Young under center.
Although the No. 1 overall pick in 2023 didn’t put up great numbers during those two wins, throwing for a combined 297 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, he was able to improve his career record as a starter to 4-17.
Canales wouldn’t commit to Young starting after the win over the Giants heading into the bye week because he said he wanted to take time to gather information.
“This is about Bryce looking more and more confident as he was out there in Germany," Canales said. "I just felt a real confidence and an aggressiveness to the play and all of those things. And of course, the end result was winning. He continues to put us in a position to put him back out there and continue to build on that.”
Canales said after studying the game file that he’s seeing chemistry beginning to develop between Young and the team’s two rookie receivers, Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker.
He said with players getting on the same page it has allowed him to call more plays where Young is able to throw the ball downfield and stretch the defense.
“It’s on me giving him more opportunities to take those looks down there,” Canales said. “And it’s about the chemistry with the guys and how to throw different balls to different receivers with their skill sets. It’s a chemistry thing, and also myself (as a play caller) finding those opportunities to attack the defense.”
Canales said he will continue to evaluate the quarterback situation on a week-to-week basis.
Young was benched for journeyman Andy Dalton after the Panthers started the season 0-2 and were outscored 73-13.
But Young regained his starting spot after Dalton sprained his thumb in a car accident, and hasn't surrendered the job since.
The Chiefs picked up their first loss of the season on Sunday, 31-20 against the Buffalo Bills.
Canales said he expects wide receiver Adam Thielen and rookie running back Jonathon Brooks to play Sunday.
Brooks, the team's second-round pick from Texas, hasn't played this season while recovering from an ACL injury that he suffered in college. Thielen has been out since Week 3 when he injured his hamstring while making a diving touchdown catch in the end zone.
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Steve Reed, The Associated Press
