He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide, setting the school record for most passing yards in a single game (559) and winning several player of the year awards in 2021, including the Heisman Trophy.

[11][12] Young has been friends with Houston Texans quarterback C. J. Stroud since the two went to nearby high schools in Southern California.

[38] On September 10, 2023, Young made his NFL debut in a Week 1 loss against the Atlanta Falcons, where he threw his first career touchdown to Hayden Hurst.

[39] In week two, Young threw for 153 yards and a touchdown to Adam Thielen in his home and primetime debut in a 20-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints.

[42] On December 17, 2023, in Week 15 against the rival Falcons, Young threw for 167 yards and led a 95-yard game-winning drive for a 9–7 victory.

[43] The following week against Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers, Young had the best game of his rookie year to that point, throwing for 312 yards and two touchdowns, both to D. J. Chark.

The Panthers had lost their first two games to the Saints and Chargers by a combined 60 points, as Young threw three interceptions and no touchdowns over that span.

[50] Ahead of the Panthers' Week 8 matchup against the Denver Broncos, Young was reinstated as the starter due to Dalton spraining his thumb in a car accident.

[51] In his return, Young threw his first touchdown of the season, connecting on a six-yard pass to rookie Xavier Legette.

[54][55] Young retained the starting role ahead of the Panthers' Week 12 game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

[57] Young continued to lead the team through close losses to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Philadelphia Eagles, both decided by a single score.

[61] Young had the best game of his career in the final week of the season against the Atlanta Falcons, passing for three touchdowns and rushing for two, along with a career-high 123.5 passer rating as the Panthers won 44–38 in overtime, marking Carolina's highest point total since 2017.

[62] Dating back to his return to the starting lineup, Young completed 61.8 percent of his throws for 2,104 yards, 15 touchdowns and six interceptions, along with five rushing scores.