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It would appear the Carolina Panthers are in for another rough season based on what transpired when they faced off against the Saints on Sunday, and former NFL backup quarterback Kurt Benkert threw some fantastic shade their way while reacting to the blowout loss.
Fans of the Carolina Panthers haven’t really had too much to root for since the Cam Newton Era came to an end with a whimper toward the end of the 2010s, as the franchise hasn’t posted a winning record since its one-and-done showing in the playoffs to cap off the 2017 NFL campaign.
It’s pretty hard to ignore the fact that the slide began after David Tepper purchased the Panthers in 2018, and there’s plenty of evidence that suggests the billionaire owner’s tendency to inject himself into conversations concerning coaching hires and drafting decisions has been a major factor in the team’s struggles.
There are plenty of reasons the Panthers are down as bad as they are, but their inability to find a serviceable quarterback in the wake of Newton’s prime has been the most glaring issue.
Hindsight is obviously 20/20, but the decision to scoop up Bryce Young with the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft has not aged well when you consider they could’ve secured the talents of either C.J. Stroud or Anthony Richardson, both of whom have shown infinitely more promise than the Alabama product whose play has left a lot to be desired.
On Sunday, the Panthers kicked off their season against the Saints in a game where New Orleans cruised to a 47-10 victory while Young completed just 13 of 30 passes for 161 yards while throwing two interceptions and zero touchdowns.
That incredibly lackluster performance was greeted by a chorus of critics that included Kurt Benkert, who played a grand total of two snaps in an NFL career where he was a member of the Falcons, Packers, and 49ers while raking in a little over $1 million over five years.
Benkert (who pivoted to video game streaming after retiring from football following a brief stint in the XFL) couldn’t stop himself from having some fun at Carolina’s expense, as he noted he would have been more than happy to settle for much less than the $38 million the Panthers will be paying Young over the course of four years while likely producing similar results.
I could have given the Panthers 30 losses in 2 years for a way better discount
— Kurt Benkert (@KurtBenkert) September 8, 2024
Boom roasted.