Bryce Young is receiving support from several fellow athletes, including some of the biggest names in basketball.
Young got off to an inauspicious start to his second season in the NFL, missing a touchdown pass and being intercepted three times, leading the Panthers to a dismal 0-2 start to the season and being benched.
The 2023 No. 1 overall pick out of the University of Alabama has faced plenty of criticism for his play on the field but is beloved by players like LeBron James and former No. 2 NFL draft pick Ryan Leaf.
James, the Lakers star and former No. 1 draft pick himself, I went to X on Tuesday. He told Young he needed to stay positive and that his struggles on the field weren't entirely his fault.
“Pull yourself together Bryce Young!” James wrote. “I'm rooting for you and I know this isn't your fault! Keep working hard and you will win!”
On the football side of things, Leaf, who was the No. 2 overall pick by the Chargers in 1998, said he blames the Panthers organization for not doing a better job supporting Young during his first two years as a pro.
“But they've screwed this up from the beginning. I mean, this organization is terrible.” Leaf told TMZ on Tuesday..
“This organization has done absolutely nothing to help and develop a player who has high expectations for him, and I will hold the organization fully accountable for this.”
Leaf was similarly held to high expectations in the NFL, but he failed to live up to them, appearing in just three seasons before his tenure in the league came to an end.
The former San Diego quarterback said he understands how Young felt after losing his starting spot to Andy Dalton.
“Nobody believes in him, nobody supports him, and I know how that feels,” Leaf told TMZ. “You don't want to go into the office. You don't want to be around anybody. Football just seems so detrimental to you because that's what you've always been. You've always been successful.
“And you've always been the kind of person that people look up to and want to follow.”
