A Look Inside the Bengals Plane Amid a 5 1/2-Hour Delayed Departure for Their Thanksgiving Game
CINCINNATI – When the 2025 NFL schedule came out, the Cincinnati Bengals were not happy about having to play in primetime in Baltimore on a short week for the fourth year in a row.
And they weren’t shy about voicing it.
Little did they know then just how inconvenient the Thanksgiving trip was going to be.
What was supposed to be a 5 p.m. charter flight Wednesday turned into a five-and-a-half-hour ordeal that had all players, coaches, front office personnel and other members of the traveling stuck in their seats the entire time.
A mechanical issue related to a valve had mechanics telling the team it would be a 30-minute delay, then repeating it every half hour another nine or 10 times.
Eventually, Bengals travel secretary Jeff Brickner made the call to switch to a much-smaller commercial plane, and the team did finally arrived at its hotel in Baltimore a little before 1 a.m.
“Jeff Brickner did an unbelievable job,” Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said, referring to the team’s travel secretary.
“The Delta people were phenomenal,” Taylor added. “Everyone was trying to problem solve and keep the peace. And our players responded unbelievably. Other than (center Ted Karras) being a little hungry at times. We had plenty of food and took care of him.”
Taylor admitted that he was concerned about how his hangry, routine-dependent players would handle the delay, especially with the frustration of repeatedly being told it would just be another 30 minutes while knowing they had to play a big divisional game the next day.
“But man, they were laughing, they were bonding,” Taylor said. “It was one of those moments you can’t really create on your own. It was just a natural happening, and I thought, ‘This could be really good.’”
And it was in many ways, starting with the early morning arrival at the hotel and continuing into game, which the Bengals won 32-13.
Because it was a night game, the team didn’t have the usual meetings and ballroom walk-throughs scheduled at the hotel shortly after arrival.
Those were scheduled for early in the day Thursday, as is usual ahead of primetime games.
The only thing on the itinerary Wednesday night was a massive holiday dinner shortly after arrival.
“We got there at 1 in the morning to the hotel, and they had this unbelievable Thanksgiving dinner Brick had set up with the hotel people,” Taylor said. “I thought everyone would just grab their food and go. But that ballroom was packed at one in the morning.
While some players played cards, watched movies or college basketball games or just bonded through shared misery, Taylor said he passed the time by traversing the aisles.
“I kind of wandered the plane to check in with everybody, make sure everybody was good, which is where I got to see everybody was in great spirits,” he said. “They handled it great. I hung up front with Brick. Anything I could do to communicate information.”
“When you get on a plane initially, I fall asleep pretty quickly. It’s been a long week. You get to take an hour nap real quick and then refresh and get ready to go for the night,” Taylor added. “I knocked that hour out right away as soon as I hit my seat. I was out. And then I woke up and we hadn’t moved. So then you’re wired and you’re walking around and just seeing what you can do to help.”
It was Taylor who got on the plane’s public address system to inform the team they would be switching planes.
“I’m told it will be in about a half hour,” he joked.
After the Bengals beat the Ravens, Taylor was going through his postgame speech and handing out game balls when he announced that Brickner would be getting one.
The players roared in approval.
“The problem solving was really good,” Taylor said. “People kept their wits about them. They did everything they could to make the players comfortable.
“Maybe we’ll just try to arrive late for all road night games from now on.”
Bryce Young and the Panthers: Doing His Part, Facing His Responsibility
This first part of a two-part series examines what Bryce Young must become, what he’s missing, and how coaches define the standard of NFL leadership at this level.
Bryce Young and the Weight of a Franchise
The Los Angeles Rams walk into Bank of America Stadium as the NFC’s top team, led by Matthew Stafford’s MVP-caliber season. For the Carolina Panthers, the stakes are different. At 6–6 and still reeling from a costly loss to the 49ers, the team’s trajectory depends squarely on the development of their young quarterback, Bryce Young.
Young is not solely responsible for the Panthers’ struggles. Having endured his second head coach, three offensive coordinators, and an environment shaped by ownership distractions, he is still accountable for moments under center where decision-making and execution falter. Understanding what it will take for Young, or any quarterback, to succeed requires looking at both the circumstances and his individual growth.
Strengths: What Bryce Young Does Well
Despite criticism, Bryce Young possesses several traits that give Carolina a foundation to build on. His athleticism and creativity outside the pocket make him dangerous in broken plays, while smooth, flexible mechanics allow him to throw from unusual angles with surprising accuracy. In rhythm, he consistently delivers precise passes and makes sound decisions.
Perhaps most notably, Young remains fearless under pressure, rarely panicking even when defenses collapse around him. Combined with his playmaking instincts, these qualities make him a legitimate NFL-caliber quarterback—if he can translate them consistently into a structured offense.
Weaknesses: The Hurdles He Must Overcome
One of Bryce Young’s most fundamental challenges is his size. At 5-foot-10, he and Kyler Murray are the shortest quarterbacks ever drafted first overall. Height brings natural advantages in the NFL, and shorter quarterbacks face specific technical hurdles. Pocket movement becomes critical. Young often must drift laterally to find throwing lanes rather than stepping up like taller QBs. Accuracy and arm strength must compensate for a less stable platform, and off-platform throws from unconventional positions are often necessary. These limitations underscore why leadership and presence are just as important as arm talent for a quarterback commanding a team.
Beyond size, Young struggles with reading disguised coverages and processing post-snap rotations. When his first read is covered, decision-making slows, stalling drives against elite defenses. His arm talent, while competent, is average for a smaller quarterback, and he often relies on optimal surrounding personnel to elevate his play. These concerns were present in his pre-draft profile: while Young excels as a processor with strong accuracy and creativity, his lack of elite physical tools makes him an outlier.
Some of these struggles, like inconsistent protection schemes or mid-season play-calling adjustments, reflect the team around him. Yet as the franchise quarterback, Young must process these challenges in real time and make the plays that keep drives alive. Playing quarterback is more than just physical traits. Success depends on intelligence, timing, system fit, and above all, leadership.
Leadership and Confidence: Commanding the Team
Every coach I spoke with emphasized the same point: the quarterback sets the tone for the entire team.
“He has to be the ultimate competitor—the guy they’ll follow into any battle,” one coach explained. “You want emotion, sure, but he can’t get too high or too low. If players sense he’s unsure or lacking confidence, the whole momentum of a team can flip.”
Another added,
“Your teammates want to win. If they see the quarterback prepare the right way—if they see he’s a dog on the field—they’ll rally around him. They’ll play with that same energy as long as he’s consistent.”
Winning Respect in the Locker Room
Toughness and accountability, not raw arm talent, win teammates. A quarterback coach put it simply:
“You’ve got to be willing to put your body on the line and go get that first down. Teammates see that and think, ‘He wants this as bad as we do.’ That’s where presence and chemistry come from.”
It’s not speeches. It’s moments: taking a hit to convert a 3rd-and-7, standing tall when protection collapses, or how you respond after throwing a pick. Those plays define respect more than any words.
For Bryce Young, leadership is about action under pressure. In a comeback win over the Dolphins, Carolina fell behind 17-0 early. Young turned early turnovers into motivation rather than panic. Derrick Brown recalled:
“He comes off, straight to me on the sidelines, and says, ‘Go get it back for me and we’ll go.’”
Right tackle Taylor Moton added:
“He knows how to persevere. He’s a tremendous leader, and I’m just very happy he’s in this locker room with me. He’s definitely the kind of guy you want at the helm, with an attacking mentality that sets the tone for everyone.”
Even when key players were injured, Young trusted less-experienced teammates to execute critical plays, showing composure that reinforced confidence across the locker room. Right guard Brady Christensen summarized:
“He kept with us and said, ‘Hey, we’re good, one play at a time.’ His confidence and leadership never waver. On the field, he commands presence, and it’s fun to play with him.”
This presence translates directly into in-game confidence. Young has shown a remarkable ability to perform in clutch situations, with 10 fourth-quarter and overtime wins in his NFL career. While his overall 12–28 record isn’t ideal, it demonstrates a belief that no deficit is insurmountable. A key trait for a franchise quarterback. Leadership, respect, and confidence are inseparable. Bryce Young’s composure, resilience, and trust in his teammates allow him to command the huddle, keep the team focused, and maintain belief in victory even when the odds are stacked against him.
Fan Sentiment: The Growing Divide
The conversation around Bryce Young has become emotional and divided. One side believes his talent, IQ, accuracy, and creativity will eventually shine. The other has run out of patience. One fan summed up the frustration:
“This team isn’t sniffing a Super Bowl with him under center. He doesn’t move the needle.”
Another offered a counterpoint:
“Stop expecting Bryce to carry. To lead and to carry are two different things. He’s a game manager. Without veterans to lean on, we’re spinning wheels.”
Behind the debate lies a technical reality: Young struggles to process defenses on the fly, but this is also where he must take responsibility. Coaches can provide clarity, schemes can adjust, and teammates can execute, but as a professional, the QB must deliver.
Development: Reading the Field and Growing as a QB
One of the biggest concerns with Bryce Young is how he handles post-snap coverage. A quarterback coach explained:
“Some QBs weren’t fully taught before. Some process slower by nature. Occasionally, a new coach simplifies the scheme, and the player transforms.”
Tom Brady echoed this, emphasizing that quarterback development isn’t just about physical tools. It’s about processing, learning, and adapting. Every player learns differently, and understanding a QB’s “learning language” is critical. Some need to watch more film, some need to hear instructions multiple times, and others absorb information best through hands-on reps. If a coach cannot tailor teaching to a player’s method of learning, growth can stall.
This aligns with PFF stats from John Kosko:
- Against disguised coverages (top 41 QBs), Young ranked 41st with a 53.4 grade.
- Against standard coverages, he ranked 7th with an 83.7 grade.
The gap is stark: when Young knows what he’s looking at, he plays well. When defenses rotate post-snap, he struggles more than any quarterback in the league. But this is also where development comes into play. As Brady noted, much of a quarterback’s growth depends on experience, coaching fit, and how the player processes information. Still, as Carolina’s No. 1 pick, the responsibility to execute and improve ultimately falls on Young.
What Bryce Young Must Show in the Next 5–6 Weeks
To secure his future as Carolina’s franchise quarterback, Young must demonstrate:
- Improved post-snap processing – he doesn’t need to be elite, but he can’t be last.
- Faster decision-making inside structure – get the ball out on time and trust the read.
- More vocal and visible leadership – true field general presence, not hype.
- Situational use of his legs – chain-moving toughness without reckless runs.
- Command of the entire offense – the offense can’t expand without it.
- A signature moment – one drive or play that embodies “follow me” leadership. Every franchise QB has one; Young hasn’t yet.
Dave Canales and the Coaching Factor
Bryce Young is at a crossroads. His physical tools are good, his creativity and intelligence are evident, but the gap between knowing what to do and consistently executing remains wide.
The question isn’t just whether coaching can help him; it’s also whether Young himself can take responsibility for his growth and consistently perform amid constant organizational changes. Part 2 will explore Canales’ system, his track record with quarterbacks, and whether Carolina’s scheme is helping or hindering Young’s development—and what the coaching staff must do to salvage the season.
