The Carolina Panthers have begun OTAs and are gearing up to defend their NFC South title, something they hadn’t done in a decade.
In 2026, the team is trying to prove that last season wasn’t a fluke and that it’s for real. Quarterback Bryce Young is also trying to show that, despite the criticism, he was worth the number one pick that the Panthers spent on him.
Since he arrived in Carolina, Young has been under intense scrutiny, something his Panthers teammates feel is unfair and a position they would not want to be in.
Doesn’t Want To Be QB
Derrick Brown has been an elite talent at defensive end since his days at Auburn, where he was the 2019 SEC defensive player of the year. Brown has taken that level of play into the NFL, becoming a Pro Bowler in 2023 and earning a four-year, $96 million contract extension with the Panthers in 2024. One position that you wouldn’t catch Brown playing is quarterback.
Beyond Brown’s 326 lb frame preventing him from playing the position, Brown has observed how his teammate Bryce Young has been treated playing quarterback, and he wants no part of that. Brown discussed this on the May 21 edition of “Green Light with Chris Long.” Brown defended his quarterback, but acknowledged the pressures of the position.
“I’m going to be honest, I know everybody’s got an opinion about him, but I would never want to be a quarterback in the NFL. It might be the worst job to have,” Brown said. “It’s the highest-paying, but it is the worst job to have in the NFL. I salute Bryce every single day, just dealing with all the outside noise and then still being able to come in there and be efficient in the work.”
While playing quarterback isn’t in the cards for Brown, continuing to be a leader on the Panthers defense is.
Leader of the Defense
Derrick Brown has been a key member of the Panthers defense since he was drafted in the first round in 2020. He’s seen the lows: the team had one of the worst defenses of all time in 2024 after Brown was lost for the season due to a knee injury, and the highs: returning in 2025 and making a playoff run, winning the NFC South. What has been consistent is his leadership on the team. In December 2025, Brown was named the Panthers’ Ed Block Courage Award, which goes to “players who exemplify commitments to the principles of sportsmanship and courage.” Brown’s teammates voted on the honor.
Darin Gantt of Panthers.com, in his December 5 article, wrote about the honor bestowed on Brown and head coach Dave Canales’ reaction to Brown being the recipient.
“I mean, his leadership is incredible, really,” Panthers head coach Dave Canales said. “Because since I’ve been around him, the work ethic that shows up every day at practice and the focus, the intentionality in games, dealing with adversity, whether a team goes down and scores a touchdown on the first drive, you don’t see Derrick panic, you just see him go right back to work, and it doesn’t affect his style of play.”
While Brown won’t be throwing the football anytime soon, he will continue to be a nightmare for quarterbacks as one of the leaders of the Panthers defense.
Panthers Star DE Says QB is the Worst Job to Have in the NFL