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David Newton, ESPN Staff Writer
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young can’t help but look up to Cam Newton, easily the greatest quarterback in team history.
He’s 5-foot-10. Newton is 6-5.
But Young’s respect for Newton goes beyond physical stature. That showed recently on the red carpet at The ESPYs, where the top pick of the 2023 NFL draft was interviewed by the top pick of the 2011 draft — and later given much appreciated advice.
“Just to keep your head down,” Young said on Tuesday, as he reported for his second NFL camp after a disastrous rookie season. “Obviously, when you’re in the moment or anything in life, it’s easy to get caught up in that. … Just like any[thing] in life, there’s going to be ups and downs. [He told me] just to persevere, to push through things.”
Newton also showed respect — and empathy — for Young, whose rookie statistics were historically bad. His 11 touchdown passes tied for the fewest in NFL history for any quarterback with at last 500 attempts.
“This conversation is a little different,” Newton said to open The ESPYs interview. “I know what you’re going through. I’ve been where you are, the frustration and even the yearning for success.”
Newton didn’t struggle statistically the way Young did as a rookie. He passed for 4,051 yards, breaking Peyton Manning‘s rookie record (3,739) and was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
But Newton felt the frustration of the team’s current quarterback in terms of having a losing record (6-10) after being successful at every level before turning pro.
“I know he’s a competitor,” said Young, who was 2-14 as the starter last season. “I know he’s a winner. I know for him the most important thing is winning the same way it is for me.”
Dan Morgan, in his first season as Panthers general manager, sees that drive in Young. It’s one of the many reasons he hasn’t given up on Young despite some critics arguing that Carolina should have taken C.J. Stroud, who went No. 2 to the Houston Texans and was named Offensive Rookie of the Year, instead.
“I believe in Bryce,” Morgan said. “He has all the tools to be a great quarterback in this league.”
Newton overcame consecutive losing seasons (6-10, 7-9) his first two seasons to go 12-4 in his third. He led Carolina to a league-best 15-1 record in his fifth season, en route to being named NFL MVP and earning a trip to Super Bowl 50.
Morgan wasn’t ready to place expectations on 2024 for a team coming off six straight losing records, and he didn’t make any bold predictions about Young. But it’s obvious he expects significant improvement from the quarterback under first-year NFL head coach Dave Canales.
He reminded of when he was with the Buffalo Bills in 2018 when Josh Allen struggled to a 5-6 record before leading the team to five straight winning seasons.
He sees a long-term sustainable future for Young at Carolina.
“I love Bryce,” Morgan said. “He’s one of the hardest-working men in that locker room right now. I know he’s on a mission. I know he’s committed to being great. I know he’s committed to this franchise and making this franchise great.”
To Young’s credit, his confidence wasn’t shattered last season when he struggled with a Total QBR that ranked 29th out of 30 qualified quarterbacks.
He spent the offseason working closely with Canales, who helped Baker Mayfield have a career-best campaign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season and Geno Smith do the same in 2022 with the Seattle Seahawks.
He has improved his footwork and release time, while Morgan has surrounded him with a more stable offensive line and more dynamic wide receivers. Young has become more vocal in the locker room.
Newton, who never needed help becoming more vocal, went through a similar growth process with the Panthers, as they continued to surround him with better players to help his development.
Those are things Young has talked to Newton about in the past, not just at The ESPYs.
“I’ve picked his brain about some things,” Young said without going into detail. “I’m grateful for him for caring so much about the organization, the city. I have a ton of respect for him now, I had a ton of respect for him growing up. I loved watching him play.”
Some of their conversations have been about life and similar challenges they have faced off the field. So when Newton says he’s been where Young is, Young understands.
“There are a lot of things that he’s given me guidance on that he’s made himself available for,” Young said. “Just being able to have that, that’s special for me to have.”
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