Carolina Panthers great Steve Smith Sr. waxed poetic (and that’s putting it lightly) about Bryce Young during the University of Alabama Pro Day. And now, almost three months later, Young returned the favor.
From rookie minicamp to organized team activities, the franchise’s all-time leading receiver was a regular visitor at team practices this spring. When asked about Smith Sr.’s presence this week, Young expressed his gratitude for the future Hall of Famer’s time and advice.
“He’s been here a good amount,” he replied. “And having someone—a legend—being able to be around every time, every opportunity I get to be able to pick his brain, hear his opinions about stuff, tell me how he feels—whether that’s stuff about me and super applicable or just other stuff. Whatever conversations we have, I definitely value those a lot. I’m grateful for him being here. A legend of the sport. And for him to come here—it’s not his first time he comes in—and he’s supportive, he’s doing everything to push us and giving his opinion and that’s something we all value being the legend that he is.”
That legend, as we mentioned, already had some flattering words about the eventual No. 1 overall pick after a mesmerizing throwing display:
“And I just sat there and watched you—I’ll be 44 years old. I could’ve got out there and ran those routes just the way you were guiding the ball,” Smith Sr. said to Young back on March 23. “It was remarkable. I mean, I can lace ’em up. I can’t do nothin’, but it sure looked good watchin’ it, man. What a wonderful, wonderful display of why you deserve to be the first overall quarterback to be picked in this year’s draft.”
Well, he wasn’t wrong.
