Bryce Young is putting together a start to the NFL season that has placed him alongside two of the greatest quarterbacks in league history.
QBs since 2013 with 280+ passing yards and at least 1 passing TD in each of their team’s first 5 games: Bryce Young Peyton Manning Drew Brees Manning won MVP that season; Brees threw for over 5,100 yards. https://t.co/Wbc92skenQ
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) October 19, 2026
The Carolina Panthers quarterback has thrown for at least 280 yards and one passing touchdown in each of his team’s first five games, joining Peyton Manning and Drew Brees as the only quarterbacks since 2013 to accomplish the feat.
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Young is putting together a historic start
Young reached the milestone Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles, throwing for 281 yards and two touchdowns in Carolina’s 25-14 victory. He completed 20 of 39 passes and did not throw an interception, giving him 1,549 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and only two interceptions through five games.
The consistency is especially notable because Young has surpassed 280 yards in every game despite facing a variety of opponents and game situations. His five-game passing totals include 361 yards against Chicago, 287 against Atlanta, 291 against Cleveland, 329 against Detroit, and 281 against Philadelphia.
That production has helped Carolina get off to a 3-2 start while Young has established himself as one of the NFL’s most productive passers early in the season.
The accomplishment also puts Young in a very exclusive group. He is one of only six quarterbacks in NFL history to record at least 280 passing yards, a touchdown, and one or fewer interceptions in each of his team’s first five games.
Manning and Brees set the precedent
The names Young has joined make the accomplishment even more impressive.
Manning accomplished the feat during his legendary 2013 season with the Denver Broncos. Through his first five games that year, Manning threw for 1,884 yards and 20 touchdowns, averaging 376.8 passing yards per game.
That season ultimately became one of the greatest quarterback campaigns in NFL history. Manning finished with 5,477 passing yards and 55 touchdowns while leading Denver to a 13-3 record. He won the AP MVP award and Offensive Player of the Year.
Brees accomplished the same feat in 2013 with New Orleans and finished that season with 5,162 passing yards and 39 touchdowns.
Young obviously has a long way to go before his 2026 season can be compared with Manning’s MVP campaign or Brees’ 5,000-yard season. Still, simply appearing alongside those two quarterbacks is a remarkable indication of how impressive his start has been.
The next challenge will be determining whether Young can maintain this level of production as the Panthers’ season continues.
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