By Lauren Merola, Joe Person and Dianna Russini

Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton will not start in Sunday’s game against the Denver Broncos, coach Dave Canales said Wednesday, after Dalton and his family were involved in a car accident in Charlotte on Tuesday. Bryce Young, who was subbed after Week 2, will start.

After the crash, no one in Dalton’s car was transported by emergency medical personnel, but the 36-year-old quarterback was evaluated by the Panthers’ medical team. Canales said Dalton has a sprained thumb, but the team hopes he can serve as a backup on Sunday.

Dave Canales said Bryce Young was a “student” throughout the entire process.
The Panthers view Andy Dalton as an everyday player. The hope is that they can prepare him as a backup against the Broncos.

— Joe Person (@josephperson) October 23, 2024

“I’m grateful that it is, because it could have been worse,” Dalton said.

After Carolina’s 40-7 loss – its fourth straight – to the Washington Commanders on Sunday, Canales said Dalton would continue to serve as the team’s starter and Young would serve as the backup for the Week 8 road trip to Denver.

Dalton, a 14-year NFL veteran, has completed 66.3 percent of his passes for 989 yards and seven touchdowns with six interceptions this season. The Panthers are 1-4 since he stepped in to replace Young under center in Week 3.

After the first two weeks of the season, the Young experiment in Carolina took a turn for the worse and Dalton stepped in to give the team a spark and its first win of the season – while also becoming the first NFL quarterback this season to throw passed for 300 yards and three touchdowns in the same game.

Bryce Young says he’s focused on day-to-day life over the last five weeks on the bench. pic.twitter.com/n0y7v5ZoUk

— Joe Person (@josephperson) October 23, 2024

Young, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft, threw for 299 yards with no touchdowns and three interceptions in the first two games, both losses. The Panthers went 2-14 under Young in 2023.

On Wednesday, Young said he had spent the last few weeks watching film and “trying to work on getting better every day.” Both Canales and Dalton praised Young for how he handled the bench press.

“He was great,” Dalton said. “…he handled the whole situation really well. I’m so grateful for that, I’m so grateful for our friendship and what we were able to build. There are things I can rely on him for, there are things he can rely on me for. It definitely brought us closer together.”

The Panthers are 1-6 and in last place in the NFC South.

How did Dalton get injured?

Dalton was driving with his family – his wife, three children and their dog – on the way home and then to after-school activities when their Tesla collided with another vehicle about two miles from Dalton’s home in south Charlotte, deploying the airbags to be used in both vehicles.

Dalton wouldn’t reveal details of the accident, but said he was glad everyone, including the other driver, avoided serious injury. Dalton said after the shock of the incident, he felt pain in the thumb of his throwing hand. When an MRI revealed a sprain, Canales called Young to let him know he was starting again. Canales said the hope is that Dalton can support Young in Denver. — Joe Person, Panthers beat author

What does Carolina need to see from Young?

For starters, Young needs to show more confidence than he did in the first two weeks, when last year’s No. 1 pick looked like a shell of his former Heisman Trophy winner.

Young’s failure to stay clean and work through his findings led Canales to replace Young, who had been leading the scout team’s offense for the past five weeks. Young will have his hands full against a Denver defense that ranks third overall and fifth in passing. But veteran tight end Jordan Matthews said if the Panthers can get Young some early completions, it would go a long way toward restoring his confidence. — person

When people ask around the league what Carolina should do with Bryce Young, most people are convinced that they need to prepare him properly in practice and use him in a few games. This would increase his value if they decide to move on from Young and potentially improve their compensation. — Dianna Russini, senior NFL insider

Required reading

(Photo: Grant Halverson/Getty Images)