NFL analyst believes Bryce Young should win an award this season

Bryce Young for Comeback Player of the Year?

Jan 5, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) runs for a touchdown between Atlanta Falcons cornerback Clark Phillips III (22) and cornerback Dee Alford (20) during the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Bryce Young's full season doesn't look all that impressive. His stats for the Carolina Panthers are diluted thanks to two awful starts and then five weeks on the bench. Since returning in Week 8, however, he's been excellent. Even if the numbers don't jump off the page, Young has played out of his mind.

Extrapolating those numbers to a full season makes them look a lot better, but regardless, Young's return has been well-documented. In fact, it's one of the biggest storylines from the closing games of the NFL season. It also has one NFL analyst convinced that Young needs some hardware after it all.

Ryen Russillo props up Bryce Young for CPOY

Should Bryce Young be considered for comeback player of the year?@ryenarussillo pic.twitter.com/UaYRcuYCyo

— The Ringer (@ringer) January 6, 2025

The definition of Comeback Player of the Year changes all the time, with it sometimes meaning recovery from devastating injury (like Alex Smith) or just coming back from not playing/playing bad (Geno Smith and Joe Flacco did this). The inclusion of a Most Improved Player award shifts the definition back to an injury.

However, Ryen Russillo believes Bryce Young ought to have a lot of Comeback Player of the Year recognition this year. The award is usually based on a player coming back from something the previous season, so the Panthers QB's breakout might've come too early to win the award next year.

Jan 5, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) tries to escape the pressure from Atlanta Falcons linebacker DeAngelo Malone (51) during the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

With that said, Russillo still added, "It should be Bryce Young... How about within the same year, your career looks like it's over as the number one overall pick, and now it looks like you actually might have a chance. I don't know how good Bryce Young's going to be, but the fact that it was this [level of play] in the second half of the season, I think voters should look at it that way."

Young currently does not even have odds on most betting sites for this award. He's +20000 on DraftKings, but nowhere else even put him as an option. Joe Burrow remains the favorite.

- Enjoy more free Panthers coverage with Carolina Panthers on SI - 

Panthers tight end has bold take after Bryce Young’s historic day

Former Panthers star shares urgent message for NFL free agents

Panthers projected to sign Cowboys QB to boost their backup spot

Tyreek Hill to Panthers? Robert Hunt puts on recruiting cap for Carolina