What Bryce Young has in common with Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Justin Herbert

Carolina's young second-year QB has pulled off more than one long scoring drive since returning to lineup.

Tim Weaver | Nov 14, 2024

CHARLOTTE, NC - SEPTEMBER 15: Justin Herbert #10 of the Los Angeles Chargers greets Bryce Young #9 of the Carolina Panthers after a football game at Bank of America Stadium on September 15, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. / (Photo by David Jensen/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Carolina Panthers

No matter who you ask to rank the top five starting quarterbacks in the NFL right now you'll pretty much invariably hear the same five names. Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert all deserve the honor - echo chambers aside. Over the last few years they have consistently separated themselves from the rest of the league's quarterbacks and it looks like they may dominate it for years to come.

That's good news for the Carolina Panthers right now, because their rising young quarterback has at least one thing in common with those elite superstars since he returned to the lineup in Week 8. According to tireless Panthers analyst John Ellis, Bryce Young is one of only four quarterbacks to lead multiple scoring drives of 90+ yards over the last three weeks. The other three are Jackson, Allen and Herbert.

Bryce Young in elite QB company

Since Week 8, four quarterbacks have led their teams to multiple 90+ yard touchdown drives.

Justin Herbert
Josh Allen
Lamar Jackson
Bryce Young

Each have done it twice. pic.twitter.com/iyBK7Q3nPF
— John Ellis (@1PantherPlace) November 13, 2024

It's fair to point out that Chuba Hubbard had something to do with moving those chains - but this is still another pretty big indicator of a step forward from Bryce Young. The Denver Broncos and New York Giants both have pretty respectable defenses and Young was able to lead Carolina to the end zone despite facing long fields in both cases.

Dave Canales' playcalling and the offensive line also have to take some of the credit, but this stat is the kind of thing that seemed unimaginable for large stretches of Young's rookie season, to say nothing of the abominable QB play that we witnessed in Weeks 1-2 this year.

There are still shaky moments and missed opportunities to be certain, but if Young continues to grow down the stretch then the Panthers will be hard-pressed not to trot him out in Week 1 of the 2025 season.