5 things to know about Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales
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The Carolina Panthers hired Dave Canales as the team's seventh head coach in January.
Why it matters: Canales radiates optimism — something Panthers fans desperately need after a 2-15 season. Now it's time to see if he can get the team moving in the right direction, starting Sunday, Sept. 8, with a trip to NFC South rival the New Orleans Saints.
We caught up with Canales, the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator, to talk about his life off the field. Here are five things to know about the Panthers' new head coach before the team kicks off on Sunday at 1pm. The game will air on FOX.
He has a menu item named after him
Canales says Red Rocks Cafe in south Charlotte is a go-to spot for his family. He and his wife have four kids between the ages of 6–14, and they've found a home at the cafe.
- You can order the "Dave Canales' caprese pita" ($17) at Red Rocks Cafe. It comes with melted mozzarella, tomatoes, pickled red onions, cucumbers, basil and balsamic reduction on a warm pita.
Mornings are precious in the Canales house
He and his wife Lizzy get up 30–45 minutes before their kids. They start the day with lemon water before brewing a cup of Cannon Beach, an Oregon-based Sleepy Monk Coffee. Then they read the Bible and talk about the day ahead.
- Canales may be the one calling the shots for the Panthers, but his kids decide what the family does on a Friday evening. They'll rotate between each kid deciding who picks what they do.
He's a late-morning workout person
Canales finds time for a workout after morning meetings and before practice starts. He works through a three-day rotation of running, rowing and an Assault bike to start his cardio, which is usually around 20–30 minutes. He'll mix in shoulder, kettlebell and core work. On the fourth day, he takes a rest day and then starts the process over.
He has to work out on game day
"All the nervous energy and excitement, you know, if I get a good sweat in, I just feel myself just settle into the day," Canales says.
- Then he'll go to the coaches' box and scan the field and visualize drives. He'll usually call two full drives in different zones and practice saying the plays and the calls in different situations and working his way to the red zone. It keeps the calls fresh in his mind.
- Then he'll head to the locker room and take the temperature of the group. He doesn't want to affect their energy, but he wants to connect with the guys before the game to ensure they're all moving in the same direction.
It's all about style
For the Panthers to be successful this season, it comes down to capturing the style of who they want to be, Canales says. That boils down to effort, toughness, enthusiasm, making smart plays and being able to finish.
- "If we take care of that style, we will have [a] good scheme. We will execute. But if we take care of that style, then we'll be hard to beat," Canales says.
Go deeper: Carolina Panthers 2024 season preview