Dave Canales had to navigate some rough waters during his first season with the Carolina Panthers. Now that the head coach has steadied the ship and established his culture, he is much more bullish this time around.
And Canales wasted no time firing off a warning shot to everyone in the Panthers' path in 2025.
Optimism is growing around the Panthers. The strides made over the second half of 2024, coupled with the impressive acquisitions made in free agency and the draft, dictated as much. Earning respectability is one thing, but kicking on to enter the NFC South title picture is something else entirely.
The Panthers have done nothing but flatter to deceive under David Tepper's ownership. The billionaire came into the organization claiming that winning was all that mattered. What followed was a downward spiral that saw Carolina become the league's bottom-feeding laughingstock.
And yet, this time feels different.
Dave Canales believes the Carolina Panthers will match anybody in 2025
Canales is building something from the bottom up. His expectations are high entering the second year of his leadership. And regardless of how things go, the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator believes no team will fancy going up against the Panthers when it's all said and done.
"I don't think people are going to want to play us by the style of football that we play. I'm expecting that. My expectations are really high for this group. They are every year, and we're going to shoot for as good as we can get. My language to the group is, I want to make sure we maximize the talent in this room. That'll take us as far as we need to go, but that's going to be our focus."Dave Canales via Panthers.com
This is the correct mentality — one that should resonate well with players, fans, and other coaches alike.
The Panthers have been a doormat for far too long. Teams walked into Bank of America Stadium expecting an easy afternoon at the office, and their fans filled the stands to make it seem like a glorified home game. It was once a depressing reality, but the tide is slowly turning.
Canales genuinely believes the Panthers can match anybody. They were competitive against some top-tier playoff contenders in 2024, including the AFC and NFC conference champions. They didn't win those contests, but it represents a solid foundation from which to build.
Carolina isn't going to succeed in every game this season, either. But win, lose, or draw, opposing teams will know they've been pushed every step of the way.