Why did Bryce Young get benched? Explaining Dave Canales' decision to start Andy Dalton over No. 1 overall pick

Sarah Effress

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Why did Bryce Young get benched? Explaining Dave Canales' decision to start Andy Dalton over No. 1 overall pick image

The Panthers continued to disappoint Sunday, failing to score a touchdown in their 26-3 loss to the Chargers at home. Unfortunately for Carolina, second-year quarterback Bryce Young wasn't a huge help for the second week in a row. 

Less than 24 hours after the defeat to Los Angeles, Tom Pelissero reported the Panthers are benching the former No. 1 overall pick for veteran quarterback Andy Dalton beginning this week.

Sources: The #Panthers are benching former No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young and starting veteran Andy Dalton beginning this week.

Coach Dave Canales has repeatedly said “Bryce is our quarterback.” But with the season quickly slipping away, Canales decided to make a change. pic.twitter.com/jTYawQCi2C

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 16, 2024

This comes after several reports out of Carolina that reassured Young's position under center was safe. Here's everything to know about why Young got benched for Dalton after his dismal performance in Week 2.

MORE: Panthers QB depth chart | Alabama QBs in NFL | 4 stats that doomed Bryce Young

Why did Panthers bench Bryce Young?

In contrast to what many hoped would be a breakout season for Young in his second year at the helm out of Alabama, the quarterback has performed below average his first two games of the season.

So far, in contests against the Saints and Chargers, Young has combined for only 245 passing yards—notching just 84 against Los Angeles—with a 55% completion rate, including three interceptions, no touchdowns and six sacks. He hasn't excelled on the ground either, only accumulating 18 yards on five carries so far, scoring one touchdown against New Orleans.

Head coach Dave Canales spoke to reporters Monday after the news broke, saying the team is "focused on this week" and is preparing Dalton to face Las Vegas. When asked whether Panthers owner David Tepper had a role in the decision to bench Young, the coach refused to comment. However, Canales did elaborate on why he came to the eventual conclusion that gave Dalton the reigns.

"This is something, after I watched the film, I looked at it, had a thought, started working on talking to the guys that we make decisions with—there's certainly a lot of parties involved there," he said. "Ultimately this comes on me and my number one responsibility is to help the Panthers win, and so this move I believe puts us in the best chance to do that."

Since the start of last season, Young only has two wins as the Panthers starter. However, despite later benching the quarterback, Canales was steadfast in his response to a reporter who asked about next week's starter after Sunday's loss. 

"Bryce is our quarterback," he said.

Apparently something changed in the 22 hours between his postgame press conference and Monday's announcement, and Canales determined time was up for the 23-year-old, and Dalton is next in line. The veteran quarterback spoke on the situation as well on Monday, saying he wasn't sure if he was going to get another opportunity to start.

"I'm really looking forward to it, I'm excited about what's ahead," Dalton said. "It's a tough situation, I've been on both sides of it. It's hard on everybody. But for me, I'm looking forward to it."

Panthers QB depth chart

RankPlayer
1Andy Dalton
2Bryce Young

Andy Dalton

Prior to signing with Carolina in March 2023, Dalton had season-long stints with the Saints and Bears following nine years with the Bengals.

Dalton took Cincinnati to the postseason five straight years from 2011 to 2015 despite missing the 2015 playoffs with a season-ending thumb injury. Despite this, the quarterback went 0-4 in his postseason appearances and never made it past the wild-card round.

He went to the Pro Bowl in 2011, 2014 and 2016 but hasn't put together a winning season on any team since his last postseason appearance in 2015. Dalton's last near-full year under center came in 2022 with New Orleans when he replaced an injured Jameis Winston after Week 3. 

That year, the quarterback made 14 starts and finished with a 95.2 rating despite only earning a 6-8 record. When it comes to the Panthers, Dalton is certainly a veteran figure who can quickly become a leader on offense. Whether he is too far past his prime is to be determined.

Bryce Young

Though he was relegated to the bench, Young will still suit up and appear on the sidelines for Carolina on Sunday against the Raiders. Canales said the team is not planning to sign another quarterback amidst the situation and didn't imply anything about who would take the helm after Week 3.

The 2023 No. 1 overall pick, Young spent three years at Alabama and earned the starting job after his freshman season backing up Mac Jones. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2021 after setting the school's single-season records for passing yards (4,872) and touchdowns (47) en route to losing the National Championship to Georgia.

Before entering the 2024 NFL Draft after his junior season, Young was named MVP of the Sugar Bowl and earned second team All-American honors from Pro Football Focus and USA Today. While he received Heisman votes that year, he didn't tally nearly enough to beat USC's Caleb Williams.

MORE: What the Panthers gave up to get Bryce Young in the NFL Draft

How old is Andy Dalton?

Dalton was born on October 29, 1987, in Katy, Texas. He's 36-years-old and in his 14th NFL season with his fourth different team in five years. Playing college football for TCU from 2006 to 2010, earning the title of Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Year and First-team All-MWC in both his junior and senior seasons.

His final year as a horned frog, Dalton won his second consecutive MWC Championship and beat No. 4 Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl. TCU finished with a perfect 13-0 record at No. 2 in the AP Poll.

That performance earned him the 35th overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, selected by the Bengals as the fifth quarterback in the class.

Bryce Young contract

In July 2023, Young signed a four-year rookie deal with the Panthers worth $37.955 million. The entire sum is guaranteed and includes a signing bonus of over $24.6 million. Young's contract makes him the second highest-paid No. 1 pick in the last 10 years, only superseded by 2024 No. 1 pick Caleb Williams of the Bears.

Like all first-round picks, the 23-year-old's rookie deal can be extended by one year with a fifth-year option. This means Young could be under contract with Carolina through the 2027 season.

MORE: Las Vegas Raiders won't face Bryce Young in Week 3 against Panthers

Bryce Young height and weight

  • Height: 5-10
  • Weight: 204

At just 5-10, Young is tied with Arizona's Kyler Murray for shortest quarterback in the NFL. He is also slightly lighter than the average NFL quarterback which is reported to be around 225 pounds.

Bryce Young stats

Here's a look at Young's passing stats through his brief career in the NFL so far.

YearGamesComp. %YardsTDsINTsAVGRating
20231659.8%2,87711105.573.7
2024255.4%245037.944.1

MORE: Bryce Young disappoints with dud in ugly loss to Saints

Andy Dalton stats

Here's a look at Dalton's passing stats in his last three years in which he started 11 games or more. 

YearTeamGamesComp. %YardsTDsINTsAVGRating
2019Bengals1359.5%3,49416146.678.3
2020Cowboys1164.9%2,1691486.587.3
2022Saints1466.7%2,8711897.695.2

Sarah Effress

Sarah Effress Photo

Sarah Effress is an editorial intern for The Sporting News. She is a recent graduate of Northwestern University, and loves to talk soccer and women's college sports.