Panthers stars Bryce Young and Rico Dowdle share optimism after making playoffs: ‘A starting point in Carolina’

SAN FRANCISCO – It wasn’t long ago that the Carolina Panthers were at the bottom of the barrel.

The Panthers went 2-15 in Bryce Young’s rookie season after selecting him first overall. The following year, the win total increased to five, but Young also spent some time on the bench, leaving many question marks.

This season, they responded by winning the division and narrowly reaching the divisional round as double-digit underdogs.

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Bryce Young shakes hands with Rico Dowdle of the Carolina Panthers during the first quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at Bank of America Stadium on December 28, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Young set career highs with 23 touchdowns and 3,011 passing yards and was also sacked a career-low 27 times. The improvements have been clear, and perhaps his 2025 season was a springboard to living up to the expectations of the number one pick.

“The more experience you get, the more times I’m with my guys, I always lean on them, so I’m really excited for the future,” the Alabama alum told News Digital on Radio Row in San Francisco.

Running back Rico Dowdle was a newcomer this year, filling the void quite well after Chuba Hubbard missed some time. After leaving the star-studded Dallas Cowboys, it was fair for him to wonder if he made the right decision.

Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers is seen before playing against the Seattle Seahawks at Bank of America Stadium on December 28, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

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He seemed pretty sure he had done it.

“It’s always fun to do what you love to do. We didn’t get to the end goal that we set out to do from the beginning, so it wasn’t fun. But it was good. We had some ups and downs throughout the season, we had our moments as a team, and this year was a departure in Carolina, for sure,” Dowdle said.

Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle celebrates after scoring against the Miami Dolphins during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025, in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Jacob Kupferman/AP Photo)

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Carolina had a late 31-27 lead over the Los Angeles Rams last month in the wild-card round, but the Rams scored with 38 seconds left to end the Panthers’ Cinderella run.

But the glass slipper has broken and the Panthers have more shoes to fill.

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