Local

A game of firsts: Bryce Young makes Panthers debut in 1st home game of the season

CHARLOTTE — It’s not only the first home game of the season for the Carolina Panthers — it’s also Bryce Young’s first NFL game at the Bank of America Stadium.

Fans have been waiting for this game since Young’s name was called on Draft Night back in April.

Head coach Frank Reich told Channel 9′s Phil Orban and DaShawn Brown he tried to warn the rookie quarterback that waiting for a Monday night game isn’t easy.

HOW TO WATCH THE GAME ON CHANNEL 64.

Young played plenty of high-profile games during his career at the University of Alabama, but Monday Night Football is a new milestone.

He had to sit through the entire slate of Sunday games and wait around all Monday, giving him time to overthink his primetime debut. But Young said he’s taking advantage of the extra time and remaining focused on the ultimate goal.

“Trying to find a healthy mix of the adding and taking advantage of the extra day, and trying to look for other things, but not just doing things that are counterproductive,” Young said. “I think you have to manage what you’re going to pay attention to. What you’re going to go into the game with.”

This is Young’s chance to bounce back from the loss against the Atlanta Falcons in the first game of the season. Although he was reportedly exceptionally hard on himself, Reich said there was no one he’d rather work with than the Panther’s first overall pick.

Watch TV64 for our pregame show at 6:30 p.m. Stay tuned to MNF after that.


(WATCH: Thompson, Burns embracing leadership roles for Panthers)