Bryce Young Is Off to a Fantastic Start in 2026
Bryce Young is quickly putting together the kind of start Carolina Panthers fans have been waiting to see.
Through the first two games of the 2026 season, Young has been one of the most productive quarterbacks in the NFL. He has thrown for 648 yards and six touchdowns, while adding another rushing touchdown. He has also posted a 113.3 passer rating through two weeks.
Young opened the season with a strong individual performance against the Chicago Bears, throwing for 361 yards and three touchdowns despite Carolina ultimately falling 59-37.
Then came Week 2, and Young showed that his production wasn’t a fluke.
Facing the Atlanta Falcons on the road, Young completed 23 of 36 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns, helping Carolina cruise to a 34-3 victory. He spread the ball around throughout the afternoon, connecting with Tetairoa McMillan for 101 yards and finding Darren Waller twice for touchdowns.
The biggest difference has been Young’s command of the offense.
Panthers head coach Dave Canales said he is seeing Young take ownership of the offense, including making adjustments to routes and developing better timing with his receivers.
That’s exactly what Carolina needs from its franchise quarterback.
Young has dealt with plenty of ups and downs since entering the NFL, but the first two weeks of this season have provided a glimpse of what the Panthers hoped they were getting when they selected him No. 1 overall in 2023.
Even after the team’s disastrous defensive performance in Week 1, Young continued producing offensively. Then, when the defense bounced back against Atlanta, Young helped turn that defensive dominance into a blowout victory.
The Panthers are now 1-1, and Young has already given the team plenty of reasons to believe this could be a different season.
There is a long way to go, but through two games, Bryce Young is playing with confidence, efficiency and control.
If this version of Bryce Young continues, the Panthers could have something very exciting brewing in Carolina.
