Nick Saban says Bryce Young was victim of environment with Carolina Panthers
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Nick Saban says Bryce Young can operate well when he has talent around him. With the Carolina Panthers, he just didn’t.
Young was benched this week and replaced by veteran journeyman Andy Dalton atop the Panthers’ depth chart. Eighteen games into his career, the message from the organization was that it had given up on the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Carolina is 0-2 on the season and Young has struggled to find a groove, throwing 3 interceptions and completing just 55% of his throws.
On the Pat McAfee Show on Friday, Saban spoke about his former Heisman winner.
“Quarterback is a really hard position to play if the people around you don’t play well,” Saban said. “I think sometimes the quarterback gets too much credit. I also think sometimes, when things don’t go well, the quarterback gets too much blame. Do they have the kind of players around Bryce Young that even gives him a chance to be successful?
“That’s one of the bad things about being the first guy picked in the draft. You may go to a team that doesn’t have all the pieces that you need.”
“I hate to see Bryce Young get benched but I also don’t see a lot of opportunity for him to be successful based on the skill players & offensive line around him..
He’s the type of player that can operate really well when he has good players around him”
Nick Saban #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/uzZrbLuvIO
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) September 20, 2024
Saban mentioned Chicago, which drafted Caleb Williams first overall in the 2024 NFL Draft and then won its first game despite Williams playing poorly. “They have some pieces there,” Saban said of the Bears.
Carolina, as many have pointed to in the wake of Young’s benching, has bigger problems than just the quarterback.
“I hate to see Bryce get benched but I also don’t see a lot of opportunity for him to be successful based on the skill players they have around him, the offensive line they have around him,” Saban said. “I think he’s the type of player that can really operate well when he has good players around him.”
Carolina has scored just 13 points so far this season. With Young as the starting quarterback, the Panthers have lost 16 of 18 games. While some have come to his defense — notably Baker Mayfield, who once played for Carolina and has rejuvenated his career since leaving — Young shouldered the blame this week when he met with reporters.
“For the most part, every snap hit my hands, and I didn’t do enough with it, at the end of the day,” Young said. “I take accountability for that. There’s plays, there’s stuff, there’s a long list of things that I wish I was better at… I’m always going to look in the mirror.
“Circumstances are what they are — not just for me — but for everyone… If I went out there and played better and we won games, we wouldn’t be having these conversations.”
Panthers coach Dave Canales told reporters this week that the team was not planning on trading Young, per ESPN, and that he still has a chance to show that he’s the future. Saban said he expects Young — one of the greatest players in Alabama history — to learn and grow from the setback. “He’s always been a guy that sort of improved from his failings,” Saban said.
The 37-year-old Dalton has appeared in just 4 games for the Panthers since joining prior to the 2023 season. He has completed 59% of his passes. He’ll lead the team on Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders on the road. Carolina is a 6-point dog in the game (ESPN Bet).
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
