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The decision to bench quarterback Bryce Young early in the 2024 season was a difficult one, Carolina Panthers coach Dave Canales acknowledged Tuesday on NFL Network, but the former No. 1 draft pick still earned the respect of his coach and teammates for his handling of the demotion. Young struggled in the Panthers' first two games that year, throwing three interceptions without a touchdown as Carolina suffered heavy losses to the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Chargers, before being replaced by veteran Andy Dalton.

According to Canales, though, Young remained engaged and continued to lead his teammates even from the bench. 

"He earned a lot of respect from his teammates, from me," Canales said. "He didn't agree with me on the decision not to play him, but he worked and he kept leading. He was showing me, 'This is my team.' And he was showing his teammates, 'You're my guys.'"

Young was reinstated as the starter in Week 8 after Dalton suffered a thumb injury in a car accident and instantly showed improvement, throwing for more than 2,100 yards, 15 touchdowns and six interceptions during the remainder of the season. The Panthers won four of their final 10 games after Young returned to the lineup.

Canales said the benching was necessary for the team's benefit, but he emphasized the importance of rebuilding trust between coach and quarterback. 

"We have to make decisions that are best for the Panthers," Canales said. "That was kind of the main thing that I was trying to get after: We need to make the best decision right now. And then as we do that, hopefully over the course of time, the trust factor between the two of us is [that] we're going to make the right decisions for our team."

Despite early struggles, Young's overall completion rate (60.9%) and passer rating (82.2) improved in his second season. He also showed growth in commanding the offense, Canales added.

"When he comes back in and he starts to play better, and he starts to really help us grow and expand our offense -- also in this camp, which is another part of just seeing him own the concepts and being able to build -- there's a trust factor that we will do what's best for the Panthers ... it's a collective, collaborative thing to make those decisions," Canales said.

Young is expected to get in-game reps as the starter in the Panthers first two preseason games against the Cleveland Browns and Houston Texans.

The former Heisman Trophy winner at Alabama and No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft remains the cornerstone of Carolina's rebuild. After a challenging sophomore season, Young and the Panthers are focused on improving their standing in the competitive NFC South and reaching the playoffs for the first time in eight seasons.