Carolina Panthers fans have watched Bryce Young’s journey closely, but few know him better than Nick Saban. As Bryce faces his toughest test yet—being benched—Saban’s feelings on the situation are rooted in his deep understanding of his former quarterback’s potential.
Saban, who coached Young to a Heisman Trophy and two prolific seasons at Alabama, knows the quarterback’s talent. During his time with the Crimson Tide, Young threw 79 touchdown passes, setting the standard for what he could achieve. Saban has been vocal about the difficulty of transitioning to the NFL, especially when a team doesn’t have the pieces in place for success. On “The Pat McAfee Show”Saban said, “Quarterback is a really hard position to play if the people around you don’t play well.”
Another factor that weighs heavily on Saban’s mind is how quickly Young has been thrust into adversity. Saban has always emphasized surrounding quarterbacks with talent, and he believes Carolina’s current roster has left Young without the proper tools to shine. “I hate to see Bryce get benched, but I don’t see a lot of opportunity for him to be successful,” Saban explained.