CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young had seen enough after several wet footballs were dropped by his receivers at OTAs on Tuesday following a heavy rainstorm in Charlotte.
And he let his teammates have it, reminding them it wasn't acceptable.
“It isn't raining anymore," Young could be heard shouting at teammates. "Let's clean this up, now. It's not raining anymore. We need better execution.”
The 2023 No. 1 overall draft pick
has slowly been developing into a more vocal leader as he enters Year 4 of his tenure with the Panthers. Tuesday offered a public insight into that growth after Young's profanity-laced outburst.
Coach Dave Canales liked what he saw.
“I heard him get a little bit passionate. We had a monsoon here for a second at practice (and) once the rain had passed he was like, ‘hey, let’s lock back in. We have to come up with these balls.’ I think he said it with a little more colorful language than that," Canales said with a wide grin.
“But I love it. I love the fact that he’s taking ownership and the guys see that and rally around that. I think it's something they all appreciate,” he added.
Young, who was benched early in his second season in 2024, battled back to regain the starting spot and the confidence of his teammates. Last season he went 8-8 as a starter and led the Panthers to the NFC South title where they lost at home to the Los Angeles Rams in a tight NFC wild-card game.
Canales said he's seen Young take big steps in terms of his “total command” of the offensive system, which in turn has helped him become a more confident leader on the field.
“He knows what he's looking for, and the timing of things,” Canales said. “The more than he owns it, the more he is looking for specific things out of the tight ends, wideouts and backs as the concepts come alive."
Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker wasn't all that surprised by Young's short rant at practice, even though the QB often keeps his emotions in check when speaking with reporters.
Coker has spent the past two seasons in the huddle with Young and watched as the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner from Alabama grew as a leader, saying that he's not afraid to speak his mind.
“I think he's a leader. He's been a leader. We rally behind him," Coker said. "So I think he was just challenging us because he knows what he expects of us. And we have to answer that call. The rain was adversity. But sometimes it rains on Sunday, so you have to be able to push through that.”
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