Bryce Young, Panthers Surge Past Expectations-and Into Playoff Contention
It’s been a long road back to relevance for the Carolina Panthers, but as we enter the home stretch of the 2025 season, there’s finally reason for hope in Charlotte. Regardless of how the final four games shake out, this season already feels like a win for a franchise that’s spent the better part of the last seven years searching for direction.
Let’s be clear: the Panthers weren’t supposed to be here. Not after starting 1-3.
Not with a rookie head coach. Not with a young quarterback still finding his footing.
And certainly not in a division that, while flawed, still featured more experienced rosters. But here they are-7-6, over .500 for the first time since 2017, and very much in the thick of the NFC South race.
That turnaround starts with Bryce Young. The former No. 1 overall pick has been under the microscope from the jump-picked apart for his size, his production, and the steep price Carolina paid to get him.
But all the noise hasn’t rattled him. Instead, he’s responded with his most productive season yet: 18 touchdown passes and a 63.4% completion rate, both career highs, despite missing a game due to injury.
And he’s done it without the kind of help most young quarterbacks rely on. The Panthers’ offense has been a work in progress all year.
No true WR1. An inconsistent run game.
A defense that’s struggled to get stops. In short, Young hasn’t exactly been set up for success.
He’s had to create it.
This wasn’t a gentle onboarding. It was more like a trial by fire.
Carolina handed the keys to a 21-year-old and said, “Lead us.” That’s a tall order in a league where most rookies get time to develop behind veterans or within stable systems.
Young got neither. What he got instead was pressure-immense pressure-and he’s handled it with poise beyond his years.
Now, he’s not just surviving-he’s keeping the Panthers alive in the playoff hunt.
It helps that the supporting cast is finally starting to come together. Running back Rico Dowdle has been a spark, even if his production has cooled in recent weeks. And then there’s rookie wideout Tetairoa McMillan, who might just be the missing piece Carolina’s been searching for.
McMillan has been everything scouts hoped he’d be coming out of college-strong hands, elite body control, and a knack for winning contested catches. But what’s made his emergence even more meaningful is the connection he’s built with Young.
That bond started before McMillan ever put on a Panthers jersey. Young went to bat for him during the draft process, and the front office listened.
“Although I feel like I did what I needed to do to be in this position, I give credit to Bryce for vouching for me and ultimately for them taking a chance on me,” McMillan said after he was drafted.
It’s paying off. McMillan is closing in on 1,000 receiving yards, and he’s quickly become Young’s go-to target in crucial moments. That kind of chemistry between a young quarterback and receiver is rare-and it’s the kind of thing that can reshape a franchise’s trajectory.
Playoffs or not, this season marks a turning point. After years of false starts and step-backs, Carolina is finally moving forward.
They’ve found a leader in Bryce Young. They’ve uncovered a potential star in McMillan.
And they’ve shown they can compete-even when the odds say they shouldn’t.
Right now, the Panthers are tied atop the NFC South, though Tampa Bay holds the tiebreaker. The final four games?
Three of them are against NFC opponents, and two are head-to-head with the Bucs. So yeah, buckle up.
The division is still wide open, and Carolina’s right in the thick of it.
Whatever happens, one thing’s clear: the Panthers are no longer just rebuilding. They’re building something real.