Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper may be growing tired of Bryce Young and could look to make a change after this year.
After reaching the playoffs in 2025, the Carolina Panthers will be looking to build upon that success in the coming season.
Carolina did finish last season with a record of 8-9, making the postseason on what ended up being a tie-breaking scenario. Nonetheless, making the playoffs is no easy feat, no matter how you get there.
But the Panthers understand that this group needs to play better coming into the 2026 season. Much of this has to do with quarterback Bryce Young, the former number one overall draft pick.
Young has seen some success in his career, but his inconsistency has also been a problem. So coming into this year, there is a lot of pressure on Young to succeed, showing more grasp of the offense and more.
In the playoffs against the Los Angeles Rams, Young threw for 264 yards with one touchdown and one interception. This wasn't his best performance, but he did enough to keep Carolina in the game, with them falling short 34-31.
Carolina has faith in the signal-caller, with head coach Dave Canales backing his guy publicly. But insider Conor Orr of Sports Illustrated has reported that if Young can't take that next step forward, Panthers owner David Tepper could get involved.
"This team has to believe that it's in a window," Orr wrote. "Young can play the 2027 season under his club option, but will it ever feel like smashing against a concrete ceiling? Owner David Tepper, who is learning to develop a pragmatic side, may start to get itchy after this season if Young doesn't take the major step into a game-altering killer, especially with the development of weapons Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker."
The Panthers have given Young the tools to succeed, and now it's up to him to put it all together. Having the experience from last season should help him, but this organization needs him to prove himself all over again.
Having Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker should help, with each player expected to give him weapons to thorw too. McMillan broke out as a rookie last year, catching 70 passes for 1,014 yards and seven scores.
Coker caught 33 passes for 394 yards and three touchdowns. Each guy offers Young legitimate weapons, and this team has the pieces to make a run.
Whether Young will show that development remains to be seen. But it seems that patience is growing thin in Carolina, and his time with the Panthers may be cut sdhot if he can't put it together in 2026.
