Bryce Young couldn’t have asked for a better shoulder to lean on! The 2023 first-overall pick hasn’t had a great start to the season. And the 23-year-old paid the price, as the Carolina Panthers have decided to bench him for the upcoming game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Amid this demoralizing move powered by loud criticism, especially from Stephen A. Smith- who called this entire scenario an “unmitigated disaster,” LeBron James stood up for the young gun.

The explosion of criticism came in right after the Panthers’ coach Dave Canales announced his decision to bench Bryce Young. Notably, this happened less than 24 hours after he showed confidence in the youngster. During a press interaction, when asked if Andy Dalton would replace the youngster in the next game, the coach said, “Bryce is our quarterback… We’re gonna just continue to shore up and fix the things.” However, he ended up changing his stance and kept the reason to himself, saying it was private.

As we all know, King James is very much outspoken about his football fandom. The 39-year-old never shies away from making his point, even if it’s against the tide. Young had all the doors shut against him on this occasion and had nowhere else to go. At this time, the superstar took to his X handle and wrote, “Bryce Young, hold ya head Young !! Rooting for you and know this ain’t on you! Continue to put the work in and it shall prevail!” 

On the other hand, Stephen A. Smith had a field day, trashing Bryce Young. The veteran analyst went on ESPN alongside Shannon Sharpe and Domonique Foxworth. “Do you know in the last 10 games, the Carolina Panthers have led for only 10 seconds? They’ve had a lead for 10 seconds over the last 10 games. I mean, that is an atrocity… Ladies and gentlemen, JaMarcus Russell wasn’t even that bad; and you know how I felt about JaMarcus Russell. I mean, this is maybe the biggest bust in NFL history,” the 56-year-old said after going through a laundry list of Young’s underwhelming track record.

Can LeBron James’ words work the magic for an overwhelmed Bryce Young, who’s finding it difficult to read defenses?

Interestingly, King James would find it difficult to relate to Bryce Young. Coming into the NBA as the 2003 #1 overall pick, he pretty much stayed on top of the ladder throughout his career. And it hasn’t ended yet. On the other hand, Young hasn’t had a great run since the beginning, struggling with a 2-16 record alongside a 44.1 passer rating, and it ultimately forced Canales to replace Young with Dalton as the starting quarterback.

According to ESPN, it’s the first time for a #1 pick quarterback to get benched for non-injury reasons. Amid this situation, the Panthers can’t have a sustainable solution other than benching Bryce Young, as they have been outscored 73-13 in the first two weeks. It’s no doubt that the Panthers have struggled on the offensive end. But who is to blame for the situation?

The team Receiver Adam Thielen, who said that he would fight for Young, seemed visibly upset with his performance from the other night. Despite that, Thielen, after the loss, stressed that it “isn’t a Bryce Young issue.” 

While the locker room made an effort not to blame the star for the slump, LeBron James‘ “rooting for you” message will hopefully inspire the youngster to bounce back. We might see Bryce Young’s comeback performance from the bench against the Raiders. Do you feel the same way? Let us know in the comments below.