CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Carolina Panthers have appointed Dave Canales as their new head coach, aiming to cultivate Bryce Young into a cornerstone quarterback and revitalize a team that has not seen playoff action since 2017.
Canales, seen as an emerging talent in the NFL coaching world, had only one year of experience as an offensive coordinator and had not yet held a head coaching position prior to joining the Panthers. However, he earned recognition for his work in rejuvenating the performances of quarterbacks such as Geno Smith in Seattle and Baker Mayfield in Tampa Bay.
The results of his tenure, after 10 games, bring both highs and lows. Young struggled in his initial two outings under Canales’ guidance, with the Panthers losing both games by a combined score of 73-13. This underperformance led to Young being benched prior to Week 3, with Canales stating at that time that 37-year-old Andy Dalton “gives the team the best chance to win.”
Canales remained firm in his decision until Dalton suffered a right thumb injury in a car accident, forcing Canales to revert back to Young. Since this change, there has been a noticeable shift in performance. Young has secured victories in his last two starts as the Panthers head into the bye week, albeit versus the struggling New Orleans Saints and New York Giants.
During the past three games, Young has completed 55 out of 88 passes for a total of 521 yards, accompanied by four touchdowns and three interceptions. This performance marks a significant improvement from his initial two starts, where he managed just 31 completions on 56 attempts for only 225 yards, with no touchdowns and three interceptions.
Young has demonstrated improved command and decision-making on the field, seemingly more confident than before. Canales praised Young’s progress following a hard-fought overtime victory against the Giants in Germany. “I’m just so proud of Bryce,” Canales commented. “He made a statement. It could have been an outstanding day; a few passes slipped away, but he handled pressure and various coverages admirably.”
Despite his recent success, Canales has not yet confirmed Young as the starting quarterback for the upcoming game against the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs on November 24. Young, known for his modest responses, deflected attention regarding his own growth and emphasized the importance of teamwork. “We’ve faced a lot of challenges, but I’m grateful for the support from the guys on offense and defense. We’re all growing together,” he stated.
Even with the Panthers achieving their first two-game winning streak since 2022, there remains a significant evaluation process to undertake over the course of the final seven games of the season. Young’s record currently stands at 4-17 as a starter in the NFL, and with a potential top 10 draft pick, the Panthers could still explore quarterback options in the 2025 draft.
For the time being, the Panthers look to foster Young’s development further. Despite receiving trade inquiries from other teams about Young at the NFL trade deadline, they declined those offers. Canales stressed that Young requires more playing experience, which makes his hesitance to label him the firm starter even more puzzling. “We’ll gather all necessary information and assess it, but Bryce is certainly making a statement,” Canales remarked. “I’m incredibly proud of his weekly improvements, and that’s our ultimate goal.”