Pete Carroll Praises Rookie Bryce Young Ahead Of Week 3 Matchup
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young hasn’t had the best start to his young career, having looked lost at times while starting the year 0-2.
Through two games, Young, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft, has thrown for 299 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also ranks 27th in the league in total QBR, per ESPN, and 31st in passer rating (66.6).
However, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll had nothing but positive things to say about the former Heisman winner ahead of their Week 3 matchup against the Carolina Panthers.
“He’s the best player in America,” Carroll told reporters Wednesday. “He’s got great instincts and savvy and playmaking and confidence and all of that stuff or they wouldn’t have done it. . . . I expect him to be terrific. If he’s the guy out there playing, then we expect him to be able to do a lot of stuff. He’s a very natural athlete, a really gifted athlete so he can move really well and create stuff. Those guys always cause problems.”
So far, Young hasn’t displayed this greatness, but that comes with the growing pains of being an NFL quarterback.
Speaking of pains, Young did not practice on Wednesday due to an ankle injury. Head coach Frank Reich didn’t specify whether or not he suffered the injury during Monday’s game against the New Orleans Saints, nor did he say if Bryce will play on Sunday.
“If Andy’s [Dalton] the starter, we’ve got a lot of confidence in him,” Reich said, when asked if the game plan would change if Young sits on Sunday. “This is why you bring someone like him in. If he plays, we believe he gives us a chance to win.“
Pete Carroll and the Seahawks held the No. 5 pick in the 2023 draft via the Denver Broncos. Even though Seattle ultimately drafted cornerback Devon Witherspoon, it led to the team looking at all of the high-end quarterbacks, including Young.
“That was a great experience,” Carroll said. “I enjoyed the heck out of that, getting to see the guys and getting to talk with them. It did give us insights into the guys. He was just overall the most productive performer. He had control of the game and did so many things so naturally. [He’s] so smart and so tuned into the game. Just really impressive. There was a huge decision for those teams to figure him out. I can see why they took him first. He’s a winner, he’s a champion, he’s won at every level, he’s always been great. And you expect that to happen here in the league too.”
Even with Carroll’s high praise, he’s still going to look to confuse the young rookie through four quarters on Sunday.
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