Bryce Young is supported by a few other athletes, including one of basketball’s biggest names.
Young was benched by the Panthers after a disastrous 0-2 start to the season after failing to throw a touchdown – with three interceptions – in a woeful start to his second year in the NFL.
Although the 2023 No. 1 overall pick of Alabama has received a lot of criticism for his play on the pitchhe’s getting some love from the likes of LeBron James and former NFL draft pick Ryan Leaf.
James, the Lakers star and former No. 1 draft pick, went to X on Tuesday night and told Young that he should be positive and that it’s not all his fault for the struggles on the field.
“Bryce Young keep your head Young!!” James wrote. “Rooting for you and know this is not your responsibility! Keep putting in the work and it will win!”
On the football side, Leaf, who finished second overall of the Chargers in 1998, said it’s more about the Panthers as an organization for not supporting Young better in his first two years as a pro.
“However, they screwed this up from the start. I mean, this organization is terrible.” Leaf told TMZ on Tuesday.
“This organization has done nothing to try to help and develop a player that has such high expectations for him. And so, I put this completely at the feet of the organization.”
Leaf had similarly high expectations in the NFL but struggled to live up to them, playing in just three NFL seasons before his time in the league ended.
The former San Diego QB said he can relate to how Young probably feels about being replaced as the starter by Andy Dalton.
“Nobody believes him and nobody has his back. And I know how that feels,” Leaf told TMZ. “You don’t want to go into the office. You don’t want to be around anyone. Football seems so toxic to you because you’ve always had it. You have always had success.
“And you’ve always been the guy that everyone loved to pick up and follow and all that.”