In his first season as head coach, Dave Canales discovered that leadership goes beyond Xs and Os. It’s about connecting with people—something he hadn’t fully grasped until experiencing the day-to-day realities of running an NFL team.
Canales quickly realized the emotional toll leadership takes. “There are people getting married, there are people having kids, there’s deaths in the family,” he explained. These personal moments weren’t just background noise—they were part of his role. Staying connected with his team off the field has been a crucial learning experience.
Weekends felt different than expected. “I normally don’t feel like this on Saturdays,” Canales confessed. The sheer weight of being a head coach—managing both personal and professional aspects of his players’ lives—left him mentally exhausted. Despite this challenge, he embraces the responsibility as part of what makes his leadership effective.
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Canales emphasized that his goal is to create a team where players “care about each other and play for each other.” His philosophy is evident in his approach to Shaq Thompson’s situation, where mutual respect and understanding were central to their conversation about the future.
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For Canales, year one was about learning the human side of leadership—and it’s clear he’s focused on fostering a connected, united Panthers team moving forward.