CHARLOTTE — The offseason is in full swing and players are heading out in all directions to soak up the summer. Quarterback Bryce Young headed north to New York this weekend for Fanatics Fest. The yearly event is taking place in NYC this weekend, bringing together the biggest names in sports, fans, and collectibles that can't be scored anywhere else.
Young was on hand Friday, appearing on a panel with fellow quarterbacks C.J. Stroud (Texans), Caleb Williams (Bears) and Hall of Famer Peyton Manning, along with Eli Manning, discussing what it takes to achieve Super Bowl and Hall of Fame glory.
Before the panel, Young and Stroud tossed around the ball for a bit, the No. 1 and No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 draft playing catch.
In addition to going No. 1 and No. 2 in that draft, the duo have been friends since middle school. Ahead of their first matchup in the NFL, Young told reporters in Charlotte, "There's never going to be a time that I'm not rooting for CJ."
After the panel, Young roamed the event to take part in activations, often with Stroud as they competed in challenges.
The players—both current and former—and fans all earn points during the challenges and can move around the challenge leaderboard throughout the weekend.
And ever the basketball fan, Young made sure to hit up the hooper challenge before heading out for the day. At the outset of the NBA Finals, Young told Panthers.com he was picking the Thunder to win the championship. Game 7 of the NBA Finals is Sunday night.
This is just the beginning of the offseason for the Panthers. They will have another month to unplug and relax before returning for training camp, which begins July 23.
View photos of Panthers players during their final day of mandatory minicamp.
