Q: Bryce Young has had his ups and downs over his first two seasons, but, from afar at least, looks to have taken another significant step forward this year. What is the former No. 1 overall pick bringing to the Panthers’ offense in his third season?
Gantt: A lot, at least in the fourth quarters. Young’s six game-winning drives this year are one short of a franchise record (Jake Delhomme, seven in 2003), and his 12 since he entered the league are the most of any player in the league since 2023. As the kids say, he has a vibe in the fourth quarter. (I don’t know if kids say that.)
If you see him with that little vandal’s smile on his face late in a game, it usually means he’s onto something. Because he’s a creature of rhythm, and when he gets on a roll, moves around, and sees the field, he can make plays.
Giving him a Tetairoa McMillan helped a lot, they have run well most of the year, and the offense has found a groove despite starting 11 different offensive lines in 15 games. As with defense, that’s because the people are better.
As he said on Tuesday, it’s not tennis; he’s not out there by himself. The roster has stabilized since the Panthers saw the Seahawks last, and he’s a big part of that, too.