Three hours before kickoff at Bank of America Stadium, Dave Canales does something that says more about his coaching style than any press conference could. The Carolina Panthers head coach quietly jogs laps around the field, stretches, sprints, and then cools down.
To outsiders, it may seem like an odd pre-game ritual. But to those who know him, it reflects exactly what Canales has brought to Carolina: consistency, composure, and discipline in an unpredictable league.
"Dave's the same guy every day," said general manager Dan Morgan. "He's somebody that's contagious to be around every day, his personality, and then the way that he can motivate the players and the way the players respond to him, I think it speaks volumes of the type of coach he is."
Dave Canales' ethos faces crucial referendum in second season with Carolina Panthers
What separates Canales from many first-time head coaches is how he balances consistency with flexibility.
He hasn’t been afraid to make difficult calls, from benching quarterback Bryce Young early last season to re-designing the playbook around him later. This preseason, he again shifted course by insisting that starters take real reps.
When Canales says the Panthers are “a developmentally minded organization,” he means it. And that philosophy has already paid dividends.
When the Panthers traded veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen to the Minnesota Vikings, the receiving corps didn’t collapse; it stepped up. This was thanks to the confidence Canales has in his young core, although losing Jalen Coker to injury represents a real blow at the worst possible time.
The Panthers' priority is laying the foundation for long-term growth. Keeping core players like Derrick Brown, Chuba Hubbard, Jaycee Horn, and Taylor Moton locked in is a testament to this ethos. It's establishing a standard for how Carolina does business.
This year, the expectation is growth. As Morgan put it: "When you perform around here, and I want the locker room to know that, is when you perform around here and you do things the right way, you're going to be rewarded."
That’s the strong message Canales is sending ahead of Year 2: consistency breeds trust, development fuels progress, and culture wins out over shortcuts.
His sideline laps might look simple, but they mirror the bigger picture. The Panthers aren’t rushing to become something overnight; they’re training themselves to be better every single day.
And in a league where head coaches often rise or fall by their ability to adapt, motivate, and sustain belief, Canales is making it clear: Carolina’s project is about building a program where growth is the standard, not the exception.