3 important observations from the Carolina Panthers hiring Dave Canales
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers were not an attractive destination
This was a rich pool of head coach and general manager candidates this year. Arguably more than any other year. Unfortunately for the Carolina Panthers, they were not perceived in a good light by those around the league.
Nobody should be particularly surprised by this revelation. The Panthers won two games in 2023. They are giving up the No. 1 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft to the Chicago Bears. There are glaring holes across the roster. Perhaps more importantly, their billionaire primadonna owner is an absolute embarrassment.
David Tepper's franchise mismanagement and disgraceful contempt for fans have steered Carolina down the wrong path. They are the NFL's laughingstock and have been for some time. While he could offer more money than almost anyone, that wasn't enough to attract some of the more coveted candidates.
The big prize was Ben Johnson, who's been heavily pursued by Tepper before. He's seen the allure of an ambitious project like the Washington Commanders as a better option. Things could have been different had the hedge fund manager reined himself in and solidified the foundations.
This isn't Dave Canales' fault. He's on the come-up. He also decided to strike while the iron was hot with the only - and first - head coaching interview request that came in his direction.
What Canales' appointment represents is the best Carolina could probably hope for. It's a sorry state of affairs in that sense despite the new head coach's qualities. It also seems as if there is a long way back to respectability for this once-proud organization.