In a stunning turn of events, Andy Dalton took the reins as the starting quarterback for the Carolina Panthers, and boy was he thrilled. At 36 years old, Dalton met with the Charlotte media exuding the kind of energy and passion that the Panthers had hoped to see from Bryce Young.
“I’m just thankful for an opportunity. I wasn’t sure if I was gonna get it again,” Dalton, the former Pro Bowler with the Cincinnati Bengals, humbly expressed. “So for me, I’m fired up. I’m pumped. I’m getting a chance to do what I’ve done my whole career.”
The Panthers made waves by making the decision to bench Young, their No. 1 draft pick from last year, whom they acquired after trading away multiple high draft picks and DJ Moore to secure the pick. This bold move came shortly after first-year coach Dave Canales had adamantly declared that Young was their quarterback.
“Ultimately, this comes on me. And my No. 1 responsibility is to help the Panthers win,” Canales acknowledged. “So this move I believe puts us in the best chance to do that.”
The Panthers had struggled in their first two games under Canales, getting trounced by a total of 60 points by the New Orleans Saints and Chargers. Young’s performance was lackluster, with zero touchdown passes, three interceptions, and an abysmal 44.1 passer rating.
And the last straw came when Young’s body language showed signs of defeat after yet another disappointing interception. His lack of energy and passion paled in comparison to former Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, illustrating that it wasn’t just his performance that led to his benching.
“But it’s every position. It’s all the guys. I was able to stand in front of the team and challenge all the guys that we all have to step up our passion for what we’re doing to play with the play style that we’re looking for,” Canales emphasized.
“It’s about building a culture. It’s about building a football team that plays with a certain play style,” he continued. “And that’s my main focus.”
Accountability was key for Canales, who knew that accepting subpar quarterback play would only lead to discord in the locker room, as evidenced by Adam Thielen’s recent outburst on the sidelines.
In the end, the Panthers were placing their hopes on Dalton to inject some much-needed life and spirit into the team, with the belief that his experience and leadership would propel them to success on the field. Only time would tell if this bold move would pay off for the struggling Panthers.
