Bryce Young was benched but hasn't given up.
The struggling Panthers quarterback was benched in place of Andy Dalton entering this week's opener after struggling through the first two games of the season.
The 2023 No. 1 overall pick said he was surprised by the decision and will remain on the sidelines for the time being.
“As a competitor, I definitely didn't dream of what was going to happen,” Young said. On the decision to bench him“That's not something I necessarily expected, and certainly not something I'm happy to hear,” he said, according to ESPN.
He added, “I made a lot of plays last year and in the first two games. For the most part, every snap I got hit by my hand and I didn't play well enough. I take responsibility for that. There's a ton of things I wish I could have done better, but I'm just going to keep working and growing and improving and getting better.”
Young then spoke about how he handled the situation and said he wants to move forward as best he can.
“I'm a day-to-day kind of guy,” Young said. “I've talked about that a lot. The big picture is out of my hands. It's an organizational thing, it's something that the higher-ups have to do. I'm just so grateful to be part of a team, to be part of an organization, and I want to contribute in any way I can.”
Regarding the possibility of Young being traded, ESPN reported that a “source close to Young” suggested Young is “open to anything” in terms of staying in Carolina or resetting elsewhere.
In two starts this season, Young completed just 31 of 56 passes for 245 yards and three interceptions.
He has yet to throw a touchdown.
His QBR is an astounding 9.4.
Last season, he appeared in 16 games as a rookie and was 2-14.
He completed just under 60 percent of his passes for 2,877 yards, 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions for a QBR of 33.4.
He was also sacked 62 times.
Dalton will start for the Panthers, who are 0-2 this weekend against the Raiders in Las Vegas.
