How Panthers’ 2026 Season Could Blow Up in Bryce Young’s Face
How Panthers’ 2026 Season Could Blow Up in Bryce Young’s Face
Carolina has gone from two wins in 2023 to an 8-9 record and a division title in ’25. They need more from their starting quarterback if progress is to continue.Russell Baxter|
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Carolina PanthersThere’s no doubt that Carolina Panthers’ quarterback Bryce Young has made strides in numerous areas under head coach Dave Canales these past two years. And perhaps the best thing ever happened to the first pick in the 2023 NFL draft was being benched by his new head coach just two games into his second season.
Young wound up getting the job back in Week 8 of 2024 when veteran Andy Dalton suffered a thumb injury in a car accident. With the exception of one game this past season (Week 8 vs. the Bills), the former University of Alabama signal-caller has been the team’s starting quarterback.
Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports put together a best-case, worst-case scenario for each of the NFL’s 32 clubs for the 2026 season. In the case of the former, Canales’s team repeats as NFC South champions, finishes with a winning record for the first time since 2017, and Young continues to progress. Then there’s the other side of the coin.
Panthers’ QB Bryce Young needs to build on a promising third season
“Young regresses from his career-best season in 2025,” said Sullivan, “That leads to another sub-.500 season for Carolina and, this time, others in the division don't allow the Panthers to sneak into the playoffs or win the NFC South. To make matters even more dire, they are firmly on the hunt for a new quarterback next offseason.”
As a reminder, the Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Atlanta Falcons all finished with 8-9 records in 2025. Carolina owned a combined 3-1 record vs. the Falcons (2-0) and Bucs (1-1). Hence, they were awarded their first division title since the franchise’s Super Bowl 50 campaign in 2015.
Consistent play has been an issue for Carolina’s Bryce Young
Bryce Young 21/40 288 Total YDS, 2 Total TDs, 1 INT vs LAR in 2025 Wildcard Game Yesterday.
Bryce Young's playoff debut.pic.twitter.com/sgcVdYReIg https://t.co/4Q5NM5hKLD— Football Performances (@NFLPerformances) January 11, 2026
Young comes off a season in which he connected on 63.6 percent of his throws for 3,011 yards and 23 touchdowns. All are personal bests. He also showed a penchant for second-half heroics. Unfortunately, inconsistency can best sum up his performance in 2025. Those 23 TD passes, as well as 216 yards rushing and a pair of scores, were a bit offset by 11 interceptions and four lost fumbles.
While he threw for 264 yards and a touchdown and ran for a score in the club’s heartbreaking 34-31 loss to the Rams in the wild card round, he also served up a first-quarter interception that set up the first touchdown of the day for Sean McVay’s team.
Panthers’ offense will have numerous changes in 2026
There will be changes up front for the Carolina offense. Free agent pickup Rasheed Walker (Packers) appears to have the edge over rookie Monroe Freeling for the left tackle job as the team looks to replace on-the-mend starter Ikem Ekwonu.
There also figures to be a training camp battle at center between newcomer Luke Fortner (Saints) and 2026 fifth-round pick Sam Hecht (Kansas State). There’s also a new play-caller as offensive coordinator Brad Idzik was given those duties by Canales.
Young has an emerging wide receiving duo in 2025 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker. Despite the free agent departure of Rico Dowdle, Chuba Hubbard returns as the main threat out of the backfield. While there are certainly a lot of positives surrounding Canales’s club, the Panthers must get a more reliable performance from their three-year field general on a game-to-game basis.
Published Jun 19, 2026
RUSSELL BAXTERRussell S. Baxter has been writing and researching the game of football for more than 40 years, and on numerous platforms. That includes television, as he spent more than two decades at ESPN, and was part of shows that garnered five Emmy Awards. He also spent the 2015 NFL season with Thursday Night Football on CBS/NFLN.
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Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price subsidising their life by livestreaming
Venezuela Fury and her husband Noah Price look to be making their own way in the world by raking it in from their lucrative social media accounts.
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury, 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year.
Since getting married and moving in together the couple have been earning thousands of pounds a month, livestreaming their life as newlyweds in their static caravan in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
And fans can't get enough of their regular life updates on TikTok and Kick, which have proved to be very profitable for the pair.
They look to be supporting themselves after Noah denied that he was given £5million by Venezuela's family as a wedding gift.
Despite his wife's huge family wealth, an estimated combined £160 million, Noah recently told his Kick followers that he 'pays for everything' for the couple.
Making light of the claims about Venezuela's millionaire financial status, Noah said: 'I actually pay for everything unfortunately. You'd expect the millionaire to pay for it wouldn't you.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price are earning thousands livestreaming their caravan life - after her new groom insisted he pays all the bills and denied he had £5m handout from her dad
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury , 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year
Venezuela then asked their fans: 'Do you think I am a millionaire?'
Noah joked: 'She isn't a secret millionaire guys', before she broke into song and sang: 'But I live like a millionaire!'
But it seems according to estimated calculations from their social media work, Noah and Venezuela can more than afford to support themselves.
Noah has been livestreaming on platforms such as Kick and TikTok, where viewers can send paid gifts or donations.
He was previously encouraging viewers to send gifts on his honeymoon during livestreams, suggesting this is one revenue stream.
Both Noah and Venezuela have built substantial followings on Instagram and TikTok. They can potentially earn money through sponsored posts, brand collaborations, affiliate links and creator payouts.
Kick allows its creators to take home 95 per cent of the £4.99 subscription cost that fans pay.
Streamers keep 100 per cent of direct tips and donations, minus minor standard payment processing fees.
It is unclear how many subscribers Noah currently has because this information is hidden, but he does have 7,200 followers which is publicly viewable.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million
In one video on their honeymoon, Noah asked his followers if they'd give them some more gifts now that they were married.
In a TikTok live viewed by 20,000 he said: 'Keep liking our videos people, keep sending gifts.'
After saying thank you to several of his followers he joked they should stick around on the livestream and 'watch Venezuela punch me in the mouth'.
The other half of the honeymooning couple said: 'I am, honestly!'
Noah previously confirmed that the pair don't share their finances after they were asked whether they have a shared bank account.
'She earns her money, I earn mine,' said Noah, as Venezuela joked: 'Yeah, what you gonna do about it.'
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'.
Meanwhile Venezuela is being eyed up by executives for a fly on the wall TV series.
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'
Boasting 1.3 million TikTok followers, Venezuela is already entertaining fans with her honest musings and candid moments, from cooking to kitting out her and Noah's static caravan home.
And following the success of the Netflix series At Home With The Furys, it is no wonder bosses are wanting to draw on the Fury popularity.
A TV insider said: 'The couple are not A-list celebrities but everyone has become obsessed with their love story.
'People are genuinely intrigued by them. Whether it’s the fact they have married so young, Venezuela’s famous family or their gypsy lifestyle, they have the ‘X factor'.
'Several TV executives think a proper fly-on-the-wall series following their lives as newlyweds in the gypsy community would be fascinating,' they told The Sun.
It is thought Netflix would be likely to produce the series due to their already established relationship with the Furys.
Venezuela's representatives told The Daily Mail: 'We have many offers on the table regarding Venezuela which we are discussing.'
