When head coach Dave Canales decided to give up offensive play-calling, it signaled his willingness to grow. His evolution so far this season has helped the Carolina Panthers navigate some tricky waters early in the campaign.
Canales is no longer reacting to the offensive shifts and defensive adjustments from the opposing sideline. Instead, he is overseeing everything, keeping ahead of the game and trusting his coaches to make the decisions needed to thrive.
This also helps players in ways that won't show up on any stat sheet.
Dave Canales' evolution in Year 3 is helping the Carolina Panthers enormously
The third-year coach is seeing things differently. He's watching body language and, when needed, getting his point across to a young squad still learning on the job.
That is huge. And it's all part of his desire to grow as a leader and teacher.
Those in the locker room are noticing.
Veteran safety Nick Scott believes having Canales as the all-seeing eye — both on the practice field and during game days — is valuable. It gives players confidence, knowing their coach won't shirk any needed advice. And it's bringing the desired response.
"He can instill his confidence in you and put you in a position. It also is, in my opinion, just a sign of belief. The guys that are out there taking the time to talk to you, giving directions and things like that because he knows what you're capable of, he wants to help you be successful. I think it's just a testament to his knowledge and understanding of the game and being able to communicate to guys in all different areas."
Belief and communication are the keys here, as Scott said. And Canales boasts both these traits in abundance.
Dave Canales' growth comes from Carolina Panthers' trust and time
Canales knew the size of his task in Carolina when he took the job after just one season as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offensive coordinator.
This franchise was a complete laughingstock, regularly among the bottom-feeders with nowhere to go but up. Canales embraced the challenge, becoming a beacon of positivity while also making the tough decisions needed to get this project back on track.
The correct culture was also established quickly.
Carolina had a strategy in place and hasn't deviated from it. Slowly but surely, things started looking up, which gave Canales the freedom to move off the offensive play-calling and into a CEO-type role that can benefit everyone.
It's a sign of faith. It's a sign of growth. It's a sign of a coach evolving through trust and time.
And it's been a while since the Panthers have been in this sort of position.
Canales was the right guy to lead the Panthers back to prominence. It hasn't all been smooth sailing; there is no getting away from that. But the gradual progress and exciting future ahead prove his methods are working.
Is it perfect? No. But the Panthers are a lot closer to a playoff run than at any point since their memorable 2015 campaign.
Hopefully, this is just the start. And if Canales keeps evolving, just as his mentor Pete Carroll did so successfully, Carolina's future is incredibly bright.
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