Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers closed their regular season with a 16-14 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a result that left the team waiting on help elsewhere in the NFC South. The defeat capped a season of uneven progress for a young offense that showed stretches of growth but continued to struggle with consistency in key moments.
How Does One Hall of Famer Assess Bryce Young’s Development?
Carolina now needs the Atlanta Falcons to beat the New Orleans Saints to clinch the division and advance to the playoffs. Atlanta held a 10-7 lead in the second quarter at the time of publication, giving the Panthers a realistic chance to extend their season despite Saturday’s setback. The NFC South winner is set to host the No. 5 seed in the Wild Card Round, likely the Los Angeles Rams.
As the team waits for the outcome in Atlanta, outside evaluations of Young’s development continue to circulate. One of the most notable came from Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner, who offered a direct critique of Young’s mechanics after reviewing the film.
“I know Young has come a long way from his rookie year but until he cleans up his feet in the pocket & learns to set strong & ready at top of drop, it will be really hard to take that next step!” Warner wrote on social media. “It causes him to be late & miss a lot of throws & with his limited arm strength, playing late is not a winning proposition a lot of the time!”
I know #BryceYoung has come a long way from his rookie year but until he cleans up his feet in the pocket & learns to set strong & ready at top of drop, it will be really hard to take that next step! It causes him to be late & miss a lot of throws & with his limited arm strength,…
— Kurt Warner (@kurt13warner) January 4, 2026
Young finished the game 24 of 35 for 266 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. His performance reflected both the strides he has made and the timing issues Warner highlighted. He ends his third NFL season with 3,011 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, and a 63.6 completion percentage, giving him a career year statistically, even if the broader results remain mixed.
He also closes the year with a PFSN QB Impact score of 68.9, which ranks 33rd among all quarterbacks, a reminder that a career year still falls short of what Carolina needs from its starter. The Panthers’ offense as a whole posted a PFSN Offense Impact score of 69.8, which ranks 26th in the league.
Despite the statistical struggles, the Panthers have continued to express confidence in Young’s accuracy, poise, and processing, and they believe those traits will translate as the roster continues to improve around him. For now, the team’s season rests on the final hours of the regular season and the result in Atlanta.,
