CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young was hoping for another starting opportunity this season, but not under these circumstances.

Veteran Andy Dalton sprained the thumb of his right throwing hand Tuesday when he was in a multi-car accident that occurred while he was driving with his wife, three children and dog about seven miles from Bank of America Stadium.

Coach Dave Canales called Young on Tuesday night to tell him he would be a starter on Sunday in Denver and made the public announcement on Wednesday after a practice in which the top pick of the 2023 draft received all first-team selections recorded while Dalton watched.

“Originally my heart was hearing things,” Young said, recalling that his thoughts were initially with Dalton and his family, not his opportunity.

After an 0-2 start in which he threw three interceptions with no touchdowns, Young was benched in favor of Dalton. Dalton won his debut against the Las Vegas Raiders but went 1-6 in his last four starts for the Panthers.

Still, Dalton was scheduled to start until Tuesday’s accident against the Broncos (4-3).

“It was scary,” Dalton said of the accident. “It was the first time (the children) had gone through something like that.” They were pretty shaken by it. Everyone is healthy and that is the most important thing we are grateful for. ”

Dalton, 36, declined to elaborate on what happened, other than to say it was a sudden stop and all of the airbags deployed.

“Now it’s a great lesson for us as parents and for them as children to make sure you have your seatbelt on… the priority of how important that is,” Dalton said.

For Young, the last five weeks have been a lesson in humility; He was benched after going 2-for-16 overall as a starter. His goal throughout the process was to remain consistent and improve, which he believes he has achieved.

“Definitely there is adversity,” he said when asked how big the challenge is. “But I’m not the only one going through something, I’m not the only one struggling.” “I just have to continue to be consistent.”

Canales said the hope is that Dalton can be the backup on Sunday. He said Dalton will be evaluated week to week as to who will start after that.

But the first-year NFL head coach said Young was an “absolute stud” in the way he handled the bench press.

“He was committed the whole time,” Canales said. “We had great football conversations throughout the week, refining our game plans and discussing things on the sidelines.”

“It’s great for him – he has approached this difficult situation with so much class and integrity. Now we can go out and play some football again.”

This isn’t the first time a Carolina quarterback has been injured in a car accident, prompting change at a time when the team was struggling. Cam Newton suffered two back fractures in an accident in 2014 in which his truck rolled multiple times less than a half-mile from the stadium on a Tuesday.

The Panthers had a 4-8-1 record at the time of the accident but were still in the hunt for the NFC South title. Backup Derek Anderson started one game, a win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Carolina won the division with a record of 7-8-1.

Carolina begins a three-game series before the bye week against the Broncos, New Orleans Saints (2-5) and New York Giants (2-5).

Outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney, who missed the last two games with a shoulder injury, is among the group of key players expected to return this week to bolster a defense that ranks last in the NFL in points allowed .

He said Young deserves another chance and doesn’t consider the Panthers out of the race for the division title with Atlanta and Tampa Bay tied at 4-3.

“Because of the guys in the locker room,” Clowney said. “We just have to put it together and believe in it, commit to it.” “It’s going to happen.”