Bryce Young was so hyped after the Panthers first win and NFL fans thought it was because of C.J. Stroud

Bryce Young has endured a lot of adversity in his first NFL season. For large portions, his Carolina Panthers have resembled the arguably worst team in the league. (Frank Reich also hasn’t done his players many favors.) Meanwhile, the quarterback drafted right after him, C.J. Stroud, has looked like a legitimate franchise quarterback elevating the Houston Texans more than the sum of their parts every single week.

With the Panthers playing the Texans on Sunday, Young had his opportunity to show there’s still so much to decide between him and his childhood friend. I’d say he did rather well, considering the circumstances. Young showed out in a 235-yard, one-touchdown performance where he also led Carolina to a game-winning field goal in the closing moments. Not only were the formerly winless Panthers now on the board, Young did it by beating Stroud head-to-head.

In a video courtesy of the Panthers’ video team, it seemed apparent that getting his first career win at Stroud’s expense meant a lot to the young Carolina quarterback.

To be fair, who wouldn’t have the same reaction?

(Warning: NSFW language in the video below)

hell yeah babyyyy pic.twitter.com/zuho1JRgi0

— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) October 29, 2023

Young and Stroud have only just begun their careers. Even with Stroud holding early pole position, Sunday showed us that Young might make this a neck-and-neck race just yet.