Dave Canales Issues Bold Declaration on Bryce Young After Panthers’ Season Finale Win

We have our answer for next year.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young on Jan 5, 2025. / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

It only took him the entire season, but Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales is ready to name rookie quarterback Bryce Young his starting QB.

“Well, I’d say we’ll take it week to week, but we got no more weeks,” Canales quipped to reporters when prodded for his quarterback plan moving forward. “Yeah, Bryce is our quarterback. I’m so proud of the way that he just took the challenge, and he just grew every week. He just took new lessons, new things applied it to his game, was engaged, challenging the guys, the whole thing.”

Asked how helpful it is to know that going into the offseason, Canales replied, "It's a great feeling. It allows us to just look at the whole roster to see what the investments need to be. It helps us to think about free agency and the draft with the lens knowing we've got our guy.

"And now we can just build this team with the right mentality and just, you know, find the guys that can come in and challenge our roster like we plan on doing every year."

Dave Canales leaves no doubt re Bryce Young. “…We’ve got our guy.” pic.twitter.com/1vI9xSMncp

— Joe Person (@josephperson) January 5, 2025

Following a couple of uninspiring games, the Panthers at one point this season benched Young in favor of veteran Andy Dalton and opted to continue making that decision week-to-week. Young did ultimately return under center (and ended with a bang), but it's safe to say the second-year QB's involvement next year was not yet a foregone conclusion.

Canales declaration on Sunday officially seals the deal, and not a moment too soon.

Young had a great game vs. the Falcons, throwing for 251 yards and racking up a total of five touchdowns in the 44–38 OT win. His no-look touchdown celebration immediately went viral, with many celebrating not only the score but the fact that the 23-year-old looked so confident doing it. That's how you end your season on the right note.

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