An off-field incident involving Andy Dalton will lead to change at quarterback for the Panthers.
Bryce Young will start for Carolina in its Sunday Week 8 game in Denver against the Broncos after Dalton was involved in a car crash on Tuesday that resulted in a sprained right thumb, head coach Dave Canales announced on Wednesday.
Dalton did not practice Wednesday, and despite not requiring emergency transport from the scene of Tuesday’s crash, the injury Dalton sustained is significant enough to prevent him from starting on Sunday.
Canales told reporters that they’ll evaluate Dalton throughout the week before determining if he can serve as the backup on Sunday.
Young told reporters on Wednesday that he is just taking things day by day and not getting caught up in what a return to the field could mean long-term.
“It’s obviously difficult,” Young said of the aftermath of his benching. “I think regardless of walk of life you can relate to this. Trying to do the right things and be consistent in what you do. … Definitely there were struggles. I’m not the only person going through something. I’m not the only person struggling. … I just have to continue to be consistent.”
Young began the 2024 season as Carolina’s starter, but was benched in September after two dreadful outings. Canales inserted the 14-year veteran into the lineup as Young’s replacement and saw immediate benefits, as Dalton threw for 319 yards and three touchdowns in a 36-22 win over the Raiders on Sept. 22.
That triumph remains the Panthers’ only victory of 2024. Dalton has struggled since then and reached a new low point last weekend, completing 11 of 16 passes for 93 yards and two interceptions in a blowout loss to Washington that was ugly enough to prompt reporters to ask Canales if he’d go back to the former first-overall pick of the 2023 draft. Canales remained steadfast in his commitment to Dalton, saying Carolina planned to continue with him as their starter.
Canales told reporters on Wednesday that he’s excited for Young to have another change as QB1 and praised the 2023 No. 1 pick for how he as comported himself since his benching.
“He’s excited about it,” Canales said. “He’s been an absolute stud through this whole process. He’s been engaged and involved in what we’re doing, and so he’s excited about this opportunity. I’m fired up for him to have another opportunity to get in there and play some football.”
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