Bryce Young’s early-season surge has flipped the conversation in Carolina, and Robert Griffin III wants the critics to own up to it.
With the Panthers sitting at 2-2 heading into their Week 5 bye, Griffin took to social media to push back on the rush to bury Young after a rough rookie season.
“Some of y'all owe Bryce Young an apology,” Griffin wrote on social media.
Griffin’s point is simple: too many quarterbacks get written off before they’ve had a real chance to grow, especially if they don’t look like Patrick Mahomes right away. Young’s first year was brutal.
He took 62 sacks, averaged 5.5 yards per attempt and finished with a 73.7 passer rating. This season, the story has changed fast.
Young leads the NFL with 1,268 passing yards, has nine touchdown passes, owns a 100.0 passer rating and is averaging 7.8 yards per attempt.
For Griffin, the jump isn’t just about cleaner box scores. He sees a quarterback seeing the field faster and playing with more control in Dave Canales’ system.
“He's trusting what he sees,” Griffin said.
He also said Young is playing quarterback “like he did at Alabama,” with a better feel for what defenses are about to do. That’s the kind of growth Carolina has been waiting for, and it’s showing up every week now.
A LOT of y’all owe Bryce Young an apology.
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) October 7, 2026
“Too small.” “Can’t see.” “Not enough arm strength.” “Carolina picked the wrong guy.”
Since his rookie year:
Passer rating- 73.7 to 100
Yards per attempt -5.5 to 7.8
Now Bryce leads the NFL in passing yards and T-3rd in pass TDs. pic.twitter.com/QQ3deL4N02
Through four games, Young has become the focal point of the Panthers’ offense even with injuries to Jonathon Brooks and Xavier Legette. His chemistry with Tetairoa McMillan has turned into one of the team’s biggest weapons. And his 329-yard, two-touchdown, zero-turnover showing against Detroit was another reminder that he’s handling pressure far better than he did a year ago.
With a 9-to-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio and a lot more confidence behind him, Young has turned the “bust” talk into a much tougher sell.
In Other News...
Panthers Survived The Injury Wave And Now Relief May Be Near
The Panthers have spent the first month of the season juggling one injury report after another, yet they somehow emerged from that stretch at 2-2 and with a little momentum intact. Key players have landed on injured reserve, others have sat out games, and the roster has been in near-constant motion, forcing the coaching staff to keep adjusting on the fly while trying to protect a decent start.
A bye week now offers the first real chance for some relief, with Trevor Etienne, Taylor Moton and Tershawn Wharton among the players who could be back in play afterward. Nothing is official until medical clearance comes through, but even the possibility of getting healthier is a welcome shift for a team that has had to win with a patchwork lineup and could use some stability as the schedule tightens again. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Defense Could Push Carolina Toward One Low-Risk Deadline Move
With Carolina still searching for answers on defense, the trade deadline could offer a low-cost way to bring in some help. One name that has surfaced is veteran defensive lineman Solomon Thomas of the Tennessee Titans, a former first-round pick who might fit as a depth add without requiring much in return.
Thomas has not played much this season, which is part of what makes him such an appealing target for a team trying to patch a unit that has struggled. If the price really is as modest as a conditional seventh-round pick, the Panthers have a realistic path to make a move before the deadline and add another body to the front seven without changing the long-term picture much. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Win Has Dan Campbell Sending A Message To Detroit
The Lions loss to Carolina only sharpened the scrutiny on a defense that has been leaking yards all season, and Dan Campbell wasted little time addressing the bigger picture in Detroit. With Kelvin Sheppard staying on as defensive coordinator, Campbell made clear the organization is not treating this as a quick fix. He described the unit as a work in progress while also signaling that more players will get chances to prove they belong.
Detroits struggles have become hard to ignore, with the defense sitting last in the league in passing yards allowed and total yards surrendered per game. Campbells message was less about panic than accountability, and it came with a firm line about standards. The Lions can keep searching for answers, but they are not going to excuse mediocrity while trying to find them. [Read more 🡒]