Dave Canales doesn’t sound interested in making Bryce Young’s Week 2 trip to Atlanta into anything bigger than it is. The Carolina Panthers coach said the focus for Young is simple: keep stacking good football and keep doing it consistently, no matter who’s on the other sideline.
Young has already had plenty of success in that stadium, but Canales made it clear he isn’t buying into any special-home-field theory. What he wants is growth off what Young showed in Week 1, when the Panthers opened with a loss to the Chicago Bears.
"I'm glad that he's found success playing in that stadium; I hope it happens again for Bryce to show up," Canales said. "But for me it's just about consistency; it's not about the team we're playing.
I don't think there's any magical geographical thing behind this at all. But for Bryce, I just want to see him build off of last week.
He had a phenomenal game in my opinion, but there are some things that he left out there that he knows he'd be up here telling you about the same plays, and I just want to see him take another step."
That Week 1 performance was hard to ignore. Young finished 23 of 37 for 361 passing yards, three touchdown throws and one interception, and he added a rushing touchdown on top of that. Carolina’s offense held up its end of the bargain, piling up 37 points and 478 total yards.
The problem was on the other side of the ball. The Panthers’ defense allowed 59 points to the Bears, and that buried an otherwise strong offensive showing.
Young’s season also comes with a financial backdrop. He is set to make $12.1 million this year in the fourth season of his rookie contract, while his fifth-year option is worth a guaranteed $25.9 million. Carolina did not extend him, which means another strong season would put him in line for a major payday next offseason.
If Week 1 is any indication, that possibility is real. Young’s numbers against Atlanta have been strong over time, too: in five games, with Carolina going 4-1, he has completed 66.7 percent of his passes for 1,133 yards, seven touchdowns and only two interceptions, good for a 95.3 rating. He hasn’t lost to the Falcons since the 2023 opener.
And with his opening-day line, Young joined Steve Beuerlein in 1999 as the only quarterbacks in Panthers history to throw for 350 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for a score.
Now the spotlight shifts back to Atlanta, where Canales wants the same quarterbacking with a little more polish.
In Other News...
Panthers Just Lost A Receiver Dave Canales Still Wanted Back
The Panthers moved on from Jimmy Horn Jr. this week, waiving the rookie receiver after a short stay on the roster and opening the door for Cleveland to bring him onto its practice squad. Horn, a sixth-round pick in 2025, offered Carolina some versatility as both a receiver and returner, which made his departure notable even in a crowded young group.
Dave Canales had made it clear he wanted Horn back, but the Browns gave the former Colorado standout a new landing spot, where he now reunites with his college quarterback, Shedeur Sanders. For Carolina, it is another reminder that even fringe roster decisions can carry some bite when a player still has development left and a coach would have liked one more look. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Suddenly Have A Week 1 QB Issue And A Bijan Dilemma
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The other move worth watching came with wide receiver Jimmy Horn, who was waived even as the Panthers hope to bring him back on the practice squad. It is the sort of transaction that can look minor on paper but matters on the margins, especially for a team trying to build depth and keep options open while the opening weeks of the schedule start to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Bryce Young Just Sent Panthers Fans An Encouraging Early Signal
Bryce Youngs first game of the season offered the Panthers more than just a strong stat line. After Carolinas Week 1 matchup with the Chicago Bears, the quarterback pointed to offensive coordinator Brad Idzik as a key part of the operation, praising the way Idzik worked with him on preparation, play-calling and the sideline communication that helped the offense stay organized as the game unfolded.
For a Panthers team still trying to establish a clearer identity on that side of the ball, the public backing matters. Young completed 23 of 37 passes for 361 yards with three touchdowns and one interception, and he added a rushing score as well, but the larger takeaway may be the sense of trust between quarterback and coordinator already showing up early. How that partnership develops as defenses adjust will be one of the more interesting storylines around Carolina in the weeks ahead. [Read more 🡒]