Two weeks in, sitting at 0-2, Bryce Young finds himself benched for veteran Andy Dalton. That’s all it took for the Panthers to shake things up. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero first broke the news, and the talk of the town was that the owner David Tepper had something to do with it. Now the coach Dave Canales has given his first comments on the media presser about the same.

Joe Person of The Athletic shared a clip of Canales where reporters asked if Tepper had a hand in benching Young. His response? “I wanna keep that private.” Well, that’s one way to make headlines while saying nothing. Canales did admit that the decision came after reviewing game films, adding, “Certainly, a lot of parties involved there.” But at the end of the day, he claimed the call was his, as he’s in charge of steering the Panthers toward victory—something they’ve struggled to do this season.

Bryce Young, expected to shine in his second year, has fumbled the opportunity so far. In the opening two games against the Saints and Chargers, he threw for a combined 245 yards, with no touchdowns and three picks. Worse yet, defenders sacked him six times, and he rushed for only 18 yards. Yikes!

Young’s performance is a far cry from what fans anticipated. It left many wondering if the Panthers’ offense will find its rhythm this season. You might say that is the clear enough reason to bench him. And you’d be right.

However, what’s really stoking the Tepper rumors, though, is Coach Canales’ sudden shift. Not even 24 hours after saying, “Bryce is our quarterback,” Canales did a 180, claiming, “This move [benching Young for Dalton] puts us in the best chance of winning.” Such a quick change of heart usually happens due to injury. Or pressure from upstairs. Nothing’s confirmed, though. And it likely won’t be, as Canales made it clear he’s keeping things ‘private.’ So be it.

Bryce Young to watch and learn from Andy Dalton

Andy Dalton might not be in his prime anymore, but he’s still got enough left in the tank to outshine Bryce Young—at least for now. Young’s struggles have been hard to ignore. A 55.4% completion rate (31st behind Caleb Williams) and a 44.1 passer rating (35th)? Uh-Oh, it smells trouble! Let’s be real—Young’s performance needs a serious boost, and who better to watch and learn from than Dalton?

Young’s catchable pass rate is noticeably lower than Dalton’s, highlighting why the Panthers brought in the veteran. Dalton also boasts a career completion rate of 62.5% and ranks sixth in passing touchdowns among active players. “Andy gives us our best chance moving forward,” said Coach Canales—and you can’t argue with that logic, can you?

Look no further than Young’s rough day against the Chargers—just 84 passing yards, a stat that should be a wake-up call. But don’t panic yet. Young is in his early 20s, and his prime is still ahead of him. Think of this as a learning curve, a trial by fire. Sure, he’s taken some hits, but now Dalton steps in to give him time to regroup. The real question is, how will Young bounce back from this? That’s what we’re all waiting to see.