An Aura Of Transformation Surrounds The Start Of The Reich Era

SPARTANBURG, SC – Fans came out to Spartanburg, South Carolina to witness the birth of the Frank Reich era of the Carolina Panthers. They lined up along the hill and the sidewalk for the first training camp practice.

Bryce Young was greeted like a rockstar, but nothing unlike what he has grown accustomed to.

“I wouldn’t say it was much nerves today, more just being anxious. I was excited to get back out here, you know you go a couple weeks without it and you know you start to miss it and being out here in a new environment, amazing environment with amazing fans coming out and supporting, the energy is definitely different than what it was,” said Young

Those nerves died down quickly, and his poise proved powerful, as Head Coach Frank Reich officially announced Young as the starting quarterback going forward.

“Bryce’ll fool you now you know because he’s got this quiet demeanor. But I like the way Scott (Fitterer) said it, this is a grown man, this is a stinking grown man. He’s in control, he knows what he wants and how he wants it done and I think that that is a good place to start from,” said Reich.

While that was all but decided, the brand new 22-year-old was incredibly humbled to be able to perform in front of the crowd and his family.

“So you know that means a lot and for me. It doesn’t change my approach, make sure that I take things day by day there’s a lot that I want to grow, keep growing in, keep improving in. A lot to learn,” said Young.

Training camp is a time for the young bucks to grow. What media around the country consider position battles, they consider first-class seminars.

“I’m trying to pick their brains every day, trying to compete against them. So it’s a big battle ’cause you cant just play with one receiver you gotta have like five or six good receivers on the team, so we all competing against each other to get on the field,” said Panther’s second round pick Jonathan Mingo.

Key pieces on the defense were able to take the field for the first time. Brian Burns missed most of the offseason to reset and recover. Even amidst stalled contract negotiations, he would not pass up a chance to get back out there.

“Nah I was gonna show up. I would say mainly because I missed it, I missed being with my defense. I kinda feel like what we got going, I’m not gonna say it is bigger than my individual goals because those matter of course but I feel like what we got building is bigger than that and I feel like I am a key piece to what we need to get done so I feel like I need to be here whether or not I am going through negotiations or whatever so nah it didn’t cross my mind to sit out,” said Panther’s defensive star Brian Burns.

The Panthers welcome families from across the Carolina’s out to their Back Together celebration out at Gibbs Stadium on Saturday, July 29, 2023.