"He was our No. 1 choice" - When Panthers owner David Tepper affirmed confidence in Bryce Young after QB's poor rookie season
Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper made some controversial calls after buying the team from Jerry Richardson in 2018. It included the firing of Matt Rhule and the selection of quarterback Bryce Young in 2023.
Surprisingly, Tepper said he was a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have only had six coaches since 1957, while Tepper had six in seven years (including interim coaches). However, in the case of Young, he remained patient with his choice.
When David Tepper was interviewed in November 2023, he displayed confidence in his choice of Young and said,
“Originally, we thought we were going to the No. 2 pick, and we thought we'd get C.J. [Stroud],'' Tepper said. "We thought the Texans were going to take Bryce. And listen, we preferred Bryce. He was our No. 1 choice. We had a lot of conviction.”
Tepper further revealed that it was a unanimous decision from the coaches and the scouts. They had a strong opinion for picking Young over another potential candidate, CJ Stroud, who was picked by the Houston Texans.
“And in the case of Bryce, it was almost ... I believe it was a unanimous decision from the coaches and the scouts. And very strong opinions at the time.”
Tepper had reasons to believe in Young, the Heisman Trophy winner of 2021. Young had elite mental processing and decision-making skills courtesy of playing in a fast SEC environment. He could also maintain poise under pressure. Despite his lack of size, he drew comparisons to Russell Wilson and Drew Brees in terms of playmaking and leadership.
However, just like the calls on team head coaches, the decision backfired for Tepper in the short run.
Bryce Young repays faith shown by team owner David Tepper
Starting in 16 games, Bryce Young passed for 2,877 yards, 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. As a result, the Panthers' offense struggled and finished last in both yards (265.3) and points per game (13.9). Despite this, David Tepper and the team showed faith, but they had to bench Young in the 2024 season, a decision that also involved the owner.
However, Bryce Young returned to the starting role again and showed positive signs upon his return. He threw for 15 TDs and reduced his INTs to nine with an improved passer rating of 82.2. He had also added a new dimension to his play by scoring six rushing TDs.