NFL
Panthers Notebook: Is QB Bryce Young Developing Into NFL’s ‘Carolina Reaper?’
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry, in both print and digital media. He ed the Sportscasting team in 2021 following a decade of freelancing. He spent his early career as a reporter for various newspapers in Illinois, New York, Florida, North Carolina, and Michigan, with a particular emphasis as a beat reporter for the Chicago Blackhawks. Jeff earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from Oakland University. Over the course of his career he earned several sports writing awards, including two national awards from the Associated Press Sports Editors for column writing and news reporting. One of the five prized columns included a commentary on Get to know Jeff Hawkins better
Published26 Dec 2024
NFL fans all but buried the career of Bryce Young two games into the 2024 season.
Who could blame them?
Following up an underwhelming rookie performance, Young started the first two games and looked out of synch. Certainly not like the player who earned the 2021 Heisman Trophy.
Young didn’t produce one touchdown and just 245 ing yards as the Panthers were outscored, 73-13, in losses to the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Chargers. He looked shaky in the second half of the home opener and was benched.
With Andy Dalton taking over for nearly a month, Young remained engaged and learned from the veteran. When his second chance developed seven games ago, he returned with a vengeance, going 3-4 and nearly pulling upsets against three playoff contenders.
Along the way, the 2023 No. 1 overall draft pick helped the Saints brass decide to move on from former coach Dennis Allen following the Week 9 defeat.
Young’s next start, in the Munich Game, resulted in the New York Giants benching Daniel Jones and releasing the former starting quarterback nearly two weeks later.
The Arizona Cardinals were his latest victim. They were eliminated following last Sunday’s 36-30 overtime loss at Bank of America Stadium.
When asked after Tuesday’s practice if he had heard Panthers fans referring to him as “Carolina Reaper,” Young initially looked puzzled.
“I don’t know,” he said with a smirk. “Reaper is a little like … evil.”
Are two NFC South rivals next on Young’s takedown list? The Panthers play at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8) Sunday and the Atlanta Falcons on Jan. 5. The Buccaneers and Falcons enter Week 17 tied for first place in the NFC South.
@Panthers QB Bryce Young didn’t quite know how to respond to being called the #NFL “Carolina Reaper” … pic.twitter.com/E2jgVlL6jV
— Jeff Hawkins (@WriterHawkins) December 26, 2024
Chuba Hubbard Earns NFC Player Of The Week Honor
It’s been a while, but a Panther was finally named NFC Offensive Player of the Week.
Running back Chuba Hubbard ended the skid.
After gaining 152 yards and scoring two touchdowns, including the game-clinching, 21-yard score in overtime, Hubbard became the first Panther to earn the weekly honor since running back D’Onta Foreman in Week 16 of 2022.
With 1,195 yards and 10 touchdowns, Hubbard became the third running back in franchise history to reach the 1,000-yard, 10-TD milestone, ing DeAngelo Williams and Christian McCaffrey.
Hubbard may have been named the conference’s top offensive player for Week 16, Young earned the team’s top Pro Football Focus grade (91.7), followed by Chuba Hubbard (86.1).
@Panthers QB Bryce Young arrives at Tuesday’s #NFL practice and takes time for fans … pic.twitter.com/ahWI02L5jf
— Jeff Hawkins (@WriterHawkins) December 24, 2024
