Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen has had a firsthand look at Bryce Young’s acclimation to the NFL. So what happened on Sunday, even if it was a first, wasn’t all that surprising to the 33-year-old veteran.
Thielen, Young and the Panthers finally notched their first win of the 2023 campaign, edging out the Houston Texans en route to an exciting 15-13 triumph. The rookie passer starred in the outing, displaying the poise and leadership that pushed Carolina into selecting him atop the 2023 NFL draft.
Those traits were on full display on the game’s final touch, one—according to Thielen—began with some strong words from the No. 1 overall pick.
“It was kinda just like, ‘Hey guys, this is what we do. We can do this. Let’s go put it on tape,'” Thielen said of Young’s speech. “When you’re in the huddle—sometimes, it’s not even the fact what he said. It’s just the fact that the confidence that he kinda put in his voice, and his mindset. You can say all you want—but when you feel the energy and when you feel the kinda confidence, it gives you confidence that hey, he’s gonna dish it.”
Young dished it for 235 yards and a touchdown on the day. That final drive—a 15-play, 86-yard touch to set up the game-winning field goal from kicker Eddy Piñeiro—saw him connect with Thielen on a clutch 3-yard gain on a fourth-and-2 to keep the drive moving.
Thielen finished the afternoon with a game-high 72 receiving yards on eight grabs. So, yeah, he got plenty to eat from his confident 22-year-old chef.
