Dave Canales had to ride a tidal wave of negativity during his opening few months as Carolina Panthers head coach. But even through significant adversity, the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator never wavered in his belief.
Canales went through a tough stretch to begin his tenure. He came under fire for benching quarterback Bryce Young after just two games, and this rudderless ship looked primed for another top-five draft pick.
Then, something changed.
The Panthers started to improve. They didn't win every game, but Canales' squad was more competitive. His decision to bench Young looked like a masterstroke based on his improvement once reinstalled into the starting lineup. Carolina did all this despite a historically bad defense that conceded the most single-season points in NFL history.
This represents a better foundation from which to build. Fans are becoming increasingly optimistic about the future. Canales is a big part of that newfound positivity. A beacon of light amid the almost constant doom and gloom.
Dave Canales' consistent messaging helped the Carolina Panthers improve in 2024
Canales gave an honest opinion when discussing the team's turnaround with Joe Person from The Athletic. His message was simple and consistent. Some harsh assessments were made along the way, but this method started to resonate with his players over time. The improved performances spoke for themselves.
"When things were looking pretty bleak, to be able to keep consistent messaging and not emotionally respond to losses or wins. But just bring it back on Monday (like), ‘All right, here’s the truth. Here’s critical variables. Here’s where we did good. Here’s where we need to improve. We’ve got a plan for this. Are these things that sound like we can fix?’"Dave Canales
This was exactly what the Panthers needed. There was no panic from Canales even when results slumped. He remained positive and was always looking for solutions to the team's problems. The confidence in his teachings never left. It would have been easy to switch course, but he was adamant that things would turn around eventually.
It's a simple formula. It also shows how players value consistency, whether things are going well or not.
The Panthers didn't have that with Matt Rhule, who threw everyone under the bus to save his skin before team owner David Tepper eventually pulled the plug. Frank Reich was respected, but he didn't have the confidence to delegate or the juice to enthuse his players after being fired by the Indianapolis Colts.
Carolina is in a much more prosperous position. Canales knows how much hard work is ahead. At the same time, he's starting to see a change in his players, who he believes will benefit significantly from their 2024 rollercoaster before coming out on the other end with something to show for their efforts.
There's more cohesion. More collaboration. More collective purpose in pursuit of reaching their goals. Other factors are in play, but none are more important than Canales.
Hiring Canales was a big risk. He had one year of play-calling experience and was expected to be a couple of years away from getting a top job. The Panthers thought differently, getting ahead of the game (for once) to bring the progressive coach on board.
If the same trend continues, it could be a franchise-altering appointment.