The Carolina Panthers may be one step closer to bringing a winning culture back to Charlotte, North Carolina. On Thursday, the Panthers hired former Buccaneers Offensive Coordinator Dave Canales to be their next head coach. Ian Rapoport was the first to report the news.
Canales has a great resume when it comes to working with quarterbacks. Throughout his career, he’s worked with two Seahawks quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Geno Smith as well as Baker Mayfield with the Bucs. All three of them have had some of their best years under Canales. The new Pathers coach deserves some credit for the resurgence of Smith in 2022, it was the most effective year of his career and he won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award and his first Pro Bowl. Without Canales as the quarterbacks coach, Smith struggled. The Panthers are hoping that Dave Canales can bring that same quality of play out of Bryce Young.
“Dave’s background is rooted in success,” Panthers owner David Tepper said. “He has an innovative mindset and positive energy that connects well with players and staff. We are impressed with his ability to bring out the best in players.”
Canales reunites with Dan Morgan who worked with the Seahawks in the scouting and personnel department from 2010-2017. As the new General Manager of the Panthers, Morgan served on the search committee. The familiarity was crucial.
“I’m excited to work alongside Dave again,” Morgan said. “His background coaching multiple position groups has given him a great understanding of what it takes to build a successful team. His infectious personality resonates with players and everyone who comes in contact with him. I’m confident that will translate to the field.”
Canales will inherit a Panthers team that went 2-15 in 2024. They don’t have a pick until the second round and the quarterback, Young has on had statistically one of the worst seasons in NFL history for a quarterback taken with the top pick.
The expectation is that Canales will be the one to make play calls. Both he and Morgan will report directly to Tapper.
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