Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales is facing intense scrutiny after he explained why he chose to play Bryce Young during their Week 5 game against the Chicago Bears.
After Young started and struggled in their first two games of the season, Canales benched him in favor of veteran quarterback Andy Dalton. The 2023 No. 1 overall pick didn’t play in Weeks 3 and 4, but he found himself coming in as a substitute during Sunday’s blowout loss to the Bears.
Late in the second half of the Week 5 contest, Canales put in Young with the game out of reach. The 23-year-old signal-caller proceeded to throw for 58 yards on 4-of-7 pass completion as they endure a 36-10 defeat.
Many thought that it was Canales’ way to give Young another shot at the position and prove himself. However, the Panthers coach’s reason might actually be not that pure.
Speaking to reporters postgame, Canales admitted that he took out Dalton because he’s concerned for their starting quarterback amid the slew of injuries to the offensive line.