After turning in a full practice on Wednesday, Carolina Panthers rookie Bryce Young started Thursday with another positive sign for his Week 4 status.
As is the case for the team’s projected starter, Young took the quarterback slot for this afternoon’s media availability—an indication that he remains on track to play on Sunday. So when asked about how his ankle feels now compared to this time last week, he was short and sweet with his response.
“I feel great,” he said. “Yeah, I feel great.”
Young’s ankle sprain, which he sustained in the Week 2 loss to the New Orleans Saints, kept him out of the team’s Week 3 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks. He, just as his coaches, couldn’t pinpoint exactly when the injury occurred during that Monday night performance.
The 22-year-old could, however, pinpoint perception. He was asked if pre-draft questions about his durability as a 5-foot-10, 200-pounder drive him to stay on the field.
“It doesn’t drive me at all,” he replied. “Good or bad, what people are gonna say, it’s outta my control. People are gonna have opinions good and bad, and I think that’s the beauty of sports. It’s great, we get to have conversations and people that are passionate and care get to express that.
“But, for me, I can’t control that. It’s not something I think about. Ultimately, I care about the opinions of people in this building. I care about my teammates and coaches, and I trust everyone here.”
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