Steve Beuerlein

Bryce Young’s got big shoes to fill stepping into Steve Beuerlein’s shadow as Panthers starter—Beuerlein torched defenses for 24,046 yards and 147 TDs, owning every franchise passing record when he hung it up in ’04. Young’s early wobbles scream growing pains, but if he channels Beuerlein’s cannon arm and grit from that ’96 NFC Championship run, he’ll etch his name next to the guy who retired a Panther hero.

Nah, Steve Beuerlein’s not in Canton—zero bust waiting despite 24,046 yards, 147 TDs, and a Super Bowl ring as Jake Delhomme’s backup in Baltimore. journeyman QBs like him, bouncing from Raiders to Panthers, rarely crash that gold-jacket party; his ’99 season with Carolina (4,436 yards!) was electric, but Hall voters love flashier resumes.

In 2026, Steve Beuerlein’s thriving post-gridiron: CBS game analyst for NFL and college gigs, VP at Marsh chasing insurance deals, motivational speaker firing up crowds, and deep in charity like Holtz’s Heroes. Living the Dana Point dream with his four kids, he’s proof retirement beats another finger-shattering hit like ’03.

Beuerlein’s gunslinger arm—think 4,436 yards in ’99—would feast in today’s pass-happy NFL with no-touch rules and spread offenses. His 80.3 rating and quick release translate to 4,500-yard seasons easy, dodging those old-school sacks like the Alabama blindside that flattened him at Notre Dame. Modern D’s? He’d carve ’em up.

Beuerlein edges Jake Delhomme as Panthers QB royalty—both gunslingers who lit up Bank of America Stadium, but Steve’s 17.64% TD rate crushes Delhomme’s 39.42% passer rating wait, scratch that, Delhomme’s efficiency popped higher in shootouts like ’03 playoffs. Still, Beuerlein’s raw volume (Panthers passing king) and that poetic retirement make him the sentimental franchise pick.