The Carolina Panthers knew they weren't playoff-bound going into their Week 18 matchup vs. the Atlanta Falcons, but they sure played like they were. Or, at the very least, they played like a team that had finally found their groove (albeit a few weeks too late).
Case in point: second-year Panthers quarterback Bryce Young, who had himself a huge 251-yard day along with passing for three touchdowns and running in two himself. It was a performance that inspired quite the bold declaration from head coach Dave Canales in the post-game presser, where he deemed Young Carolina's starter moving forward, and one littered with stand-out moments, such as the 23-year-old's fan-loved look-away touchdown celebration a la Lamar Jackson and Steph Curry.
Young broke down the thought process (or lack thereof) behind the epic move while speaking with reporters after the game.
"Heard they got that on camera," Young quipped before launching into a brief explanation of the moment. "Nah, it was definitely not planned. It was just confidence in [tight end Tommy Tremble]. I knew he was open so when I threw it I knew he was gonna catch it. I don't know, it was, like, a reaction. I never think about it."
Bryce Young on the look away TD: I heard they got that on camera 😏 pic.twitter.com/UslowM9616
— Carolina Blitz (@KeepBlitzin) January 5, 2025
Fans loved seeing how confident Bryce looked in Sunday's game; that sure-of-himself reaction—planned or not—is the perfect example. After resting, relaxing, then regrouping in the off-season, hopefully Young will be ready to put up some of these numbers again in the fall.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Bryce Young Explains His Ice-Cold Touchdown Celebration in OT Win vs. Falcons.
