Dave Canales became the Carolina Panthers‘ seventh head coach, and he’s taking over a franchise that desperately needs a sense of direction to kick off the 2024 NFL season. Let’s take a deep dive into Canales’ playing days and how far he advanced as a player.
Dave Canales’ Path to Coaching in the NFL
Last season, the Panthers went 2-15 and left much to be desired. Franchise quarterback Bryce Young now has a season under his belt, and it’s easy to see why those upstairs brought in the up-and-coming Canales to pair him with.
Canales never played in the NFL, but he did play college football at Azusa Pacific University. At the time, Azusa Pacific was an NAIA program. Canales was a wide receiver, reeling in just 27 catches for 293 yards and one touchdown.
He graduated in 2002 with a degree in business administration, and the NFL was nowhere in sight. However, Canales couldn’t leave the game he loved and turned to coaching.
After starting off as an offensive coordinator at Carson High School in California, Canales coached at a community college (El Camino College) for two seasons before joining Pete Carroll’s staff at USC in 2009.
Canales’ NFL Coaching Experience
Canales would serve under Carroll for a long time, following the head coach from the Trojans to the Seattle Seahawks in 2010.
With the Seahawks, Canales held numerous titles, from wide receivers coach to quarterbacks coach to passing game coordinator.
In 2023, Canales got his big break when Todd Bowles and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hired him as their offensive coordinator. This proved to be the final stepping stone that Canales needed before getting his own shot to steer the ship.
After helping Baker Mayfield rejuvenate his career and play his best football as a pro (just as he did with Geno Smith in Seattle), Canales’ name started popping up as a possible head coach candidate.
He impressed the Panthers during the interview process, and it helped that he had previously worked with Carolina’s general manager, Dan Morgan, when the two were in Seattle.
Carolina hired Canales as its head coach, and the Panthers hope he can help Young break out just as he did with Mayfield and Smith.