Bryce Young Stumbles Again in Panthers’ Season Opener
It’s starting to feel like déjà vu for Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers. Another season opener has come and gone, and once again, the young quarterback’s performance was overshadowed by turnovers. On Sunday in Jacksonville, the Panthers fell 26–10 to the Jaguars, and much of the story revolved around Young’s struggles under center.
The game began with some cautious optimism. After a long offseason of preparation, there was hope that Year 3 might finally bring a steadying hand from the former No. 1 overall pick. Instead, fans were treated to the all-too-familiar sight of forced throws, fumbles, and frustration. Young turned the ball over three times — two interceptions and a costly fumble — numbers that instantly erased any positives from his stat line. By the final whistle, he had completed 18 of 35 passes for 154 yards, with one touchdown to running back Chuba Hubbard. Unfortunately, the mistakes spoke louder than the lone score.
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The miscues weren’t small ones, either. His first interception came on a throw into heavy traffic after rolling out of the pocket. Later, during a scramble, he lost the ball on what looked like a rushed and awkward slide. Then, when Carolina still had a faint chance to rally, a second interception ended any comeback hopes. Adding to the frustration, on a fourth-and-1 from Jacksonville’s 5-yard line, Young fired the ball out of the back of the end zone, then slammed his helmet to the turf — a raw sign of his competitive fire, but also his visible frustration.
When asked about it afterward, Young owned the moment. He admitted that his body language needed to be better and emphasized that leadership meant accountability. “It’s all about what you can control, what you can improve,” he said, making it clear he wasn’t interested in pointing fingers at anyone else.
But the truth is, this wasn’t just on him. Hubbard was held to just 57 rushing yards, while receivers Hunter Renfrow and Xavier Legette combined for only five catches on 13 targets. The defense didn’t help matters either, struggling to contain Jacksonville’s run game and rarely bothering quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Panthers head coach Dave Canales summed it up bluntly: the preparation didn’t show up on the field.
The bigger issue? This has now become a pattern. In his rookie opener back in 2023, Young threw two picks in a loss to Atlanta. In 2024, he opened with two touchdowns but also costly mistakes in a blowout against New Orleans. Now in 2025, it’s another rocky beginning. Three straight years, three season openers he would rather forget.
The frustration is clear, but so is the determination. Both Young and Canales stressed the importance of going back to work, watching the film, and building from fundamentals. Whether or not the Panthers can turn this around will depend not only on their young quarterback’s ability to grow but also on the team’s collective response to yet another tough start.
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