David NewtonESPN staff writer2 min read
Bryce Young finds Hayden Hurst for his first NFL TD pass
Bryce Young connects with Hayden Hurst for his first NFL touchdown pass as the Panthers tie the game.
READ MORE: Panthers rookie running back Bryce Young finds Hayden Hurst for his first NFL touchdown
Tight end Hayden Hurst, on the receiving end of a 4-yard toss, dropped the ball into the stands after the catch.
The play came with 5:09 left in the first half of Sunday’s opener against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. It tied the score at 7 and made Young the third quarterback in Carolina history to throw a touchdown pass in his debut, joining Cam Newton, who did so in 2011, and Chris Weinke (2001).
Hurst played two seasons with the Falcons and looked fired up in his Panthers debut against his former team.
Young was more concerned with the 24-10 loss, in which he threw two interceptions that led to 10 points for Atlanta, than with the ball getting a touchdown.
“At this moment, it’s not necessarily at the forefront of my mind,” Young said. “We’re competitors. We want to win. At the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about.”
Backup quarterback Andy Dalton leads the effort to get the ball back for Young.
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