The Carolina Panthers weren't shunned from the prime-time spotlight in 2025. This comes after some significant improvements over the second half of 2024, but head coach Dave Canales knows the job is far from finished.
Canales laid down a challenge to his players. If they succeed in this task, the Panthers could have much more of the national limelight coming their way in the not-too-distant future.
The Panthers will travel to the San Francisco 49ers for a Monday Night Football showdown in Week 12. This has one intriguing storyline attached, which centers on All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey going up against the team that drafted him for the first time since he was traded in 2022.
Dave Canales wants Carolina Panthers' prime-time status to become their new normal
It'll be an emotionally charged affair with plenty at stake. Canales is hoping the Panthers have something to play for by then, whether that's a winning record, wild card spot, or maybe even a division title if everything goes better than anticipated.
As with most things, Canales is taking this as an opportunity to announce the Panthers' return to the prime-time stage. He's also hoping his squad shows enough to earn more national attention in the coming years, especially if their overall growth throughout the campaign is encouraging enough.
"I just love the opportunities to be able to play those types of games. There's a couple of extra cameras, and you get to play under the lights, playing against a great opponent, and those are the types of games that we need to become who we are. The hope is that we are working ourselves into that, the mentality of, like, this is another game. We go about our preparation and our work the same way so that we can go out there and just play our best."Dave Canales via Panthers.com
The Panthers are a small-market team, but success draws attention. One only has to look at the Washington Commanders for a strong example of how quickly the tide can turn.
Washington's football franchise languished in disgrace for decades under Dan Snyder. A remarkable turnaround under head coach Dan Quinn propelled them from also rans to the NFC Championship game. This saw eight standalone games come their way in 2025, five of which are on prime time.
Asking the Panthers to make the final four seems unrealistic. But if Canales can bring gradual progress, pick up a few more wins, and be competitive versus the NFL's elite once again, that might just be enough.
Time will tell if Canales and his players have what it takes.