Dave Canales was hired as the head coach of the Carolina Panthers on January 25, 2024, becoming the seventh head coach in franchise history. Canales came to Carolina after serving as offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2023). He spent his first 13 seasons in the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks (2010-22) in various roles on the offensive side of the ball.
In Canales' first season at the helm for Carolina, the Panthers improved by three wins, tied for the sixth-best improvement in the NFL. Three added wins was the third best among 2024 new coach hires (behind WAS & LAR) and the best among the five first-time head coaches (SEA, NE, TEN, LV).
In 2024, Canales helped guide quarterback Bryce Young to a career-high 21 total touchdowns. Young led the Panthers on game-winning or game-tying drives in six of the final nine games and had at least two touchdown passes in three-straight games to close out the season and a passing touchdown in each of the last 10, both the longest streaks of his career. Running back Chuba Hubbard eclipsed the 1,000-rushing-yard mark for the first time in his career (1,195) and became the first Panthers player to reach this milestone since 2019. He also set career-highs in carries (250), rushing yards, rushing touchdowns (10), catches (43) and scrimmage yards (1,366), earning a Pro Bowl alternate nod for his efforts.
The Panthers were the only offense in the NFL with three players in the top 15 in receiving yards among rookies: wide receivers Xavier Legette (497) and Jalen Coker (478), as well as tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (342). Among all rookies in Panthers history, Legette finished fourth in catches (49), tied for fifth in touchdowns (four), and seventh in receiving yards while Coker led all undrafted players in the NFL in receiving yards, catches (32) and receiving touchdowns (two), and became the Panthers franchise-leader in all three categories among undrafted rookies. Sanders set the record for the most receiving yards by a rookie tight end in team history and finished second in receptions (33).
On the defensive side of the ball, cornerback Jaycee Horn was named to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career and was one of only three players in the NFL to record at least 50 tackles, 10 passes defensed, five tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks. Along with cornerback Mike Jackson, the duo combined for 30 passes defensed, the most by a cornerback tandem in the NFL. Defensive end A'Shawn Robinson led all defensive linemen in the league in both total (80) and solo (43) tackles.
The 2024 Panthers featured two Pro Bowlers: Horn and guard Robert Hunt (originally a second alternate), while Hubbard earned an alternate spot.
Before taking the lead in Carolina, Canales served as offensive coordinator for the Buccaneers in 2023. Under his guidance, several players recorded career-highs as the team won the NFC South division and reached the divisional round of the playoffs after defeating the reigning NFC Champion, the Philadelphia Eagles, in the Wild Card round. Quarterback Baker Mayfield set career-highs in passing yards (4,044), completion percentage (64.3%), touchdowns (28) and completions (364). He was one of just two quarterbacks in the NFL to throw 27 or more touchdowns and 10 or fewer interceptions on the season.
Running back Rachaad White set career-highs in rushing yards (990) and ranked third among NFL running backs with 549 receiving yards. His 1,539 scrimmage yards tied for the seventh-most league-wide. Wide receiver Mike Evans reached the 1,000-yard mark for the 10th consecutive season and became the first player ever to record 60+ receptions in each of his first 10 seasons. He and fellow wide receiver Chris Godwin were one-of-three pairs of teammates this season to record at least 75 receptions and 950 receiving yards.
Canales joined the Buccaneers after spending the past 13 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks (2010-22), where he helped the organization make 10 playoff appearances, two conference championships and a Super Bowl XLVIII title. Canales originally joined the Seahawks as an offensive quality control coach (2010-12) before being elevated to assistant quarterbacks coach (2013-14) and later wide receivers coach (2015-17), quarterbacks coach (2018-19, 2022) and pass game coordinator (2020-21).
As quarterbacks coach in 2022, Canales guided Geno Smith to his first career Pro Bowl selection, in addition to receiving Comeback Player of the Year honors from The Associated Press and Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). Smith was also named the NFL's Most Improved Player by the PFWA after leading the NFL with a 69.8% completion percentage and setting career highs in completions (399), passing yards (4,282) and passing touchdowns (30).
The Seahawks excelled offensively during Canales' tenure in Seattle, recording 7.61 passing yards per attempt and 4.53 rushing yards per attempt over the 13-year run. Seattle was the only offense to rank in the top five in both of those categories during that span. During Canales' time in Seattle, former Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson joined Peyton Manning as the only players in league history with 3,000+ passing yards and 20+ passing touchdowns in each of their first 10 seasons. While Canales was Seattle's pass game coordinator in 2020, wide receiver Tyler Lockett established a new franchise record with 100 receptions, while fellow wide receiver D.K. Metcalf set a new franchise mark with 1,303 receiving yards.
Prior to his time in Seattle, Canales spent one season as an assistant strength coach and video assistant at the University of Southern California in 2009, while also working with the quarterbacks. He made the jump to USC from El Camino (California) College (2006-08), where he served as the tight ends coach and special teams coordinator before coaching quarterbacks in his final season. During that time, he worked as a part-time coach at the annual Pete Carroll football camps where he built a relationship with Carroll. Canales began his coaching career as the head freshman/sophomore coach and offensive coordinator at his alma mater, Carson High School (2004-05). He played wide receiver at Azusa Pacific University from 1999- 2003, where he was named team captain twice, and earned his degree in business administration in 2003.
A native of Carson, Calif., Canales and his wife, Lizzy, have four children – Ashby, Benjamin, Beatrice and Amaya.
- 2004-05 | Carson (Calif.) HS - Frosh/Soph Head Coach
- 2006-07 | El Camino College - Tight Ends/Special Teams
- 2008 | El Camino College - Quarterbacks
- 2009 | Southern California - Assistant Strenght/Video Assistant
- 2010-12 | Seattle Seahawks - Quality Control/Offense
- 2013-14 | Seattle Seahawks - Assistant Quarterbacks/Offensive Quality Control
- 2015-17 | Seattle Seahawks - Wide Receivers
- 2018-19 | Seattle Seahawks - Quarterbacks
- 2020-21 | Seattle Seahawks - Offensive Passing Game Coordinator
- 2022 | Seattle Seahawks - Quarterbacks
- 2023 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Offensive Coordinator
- 2024- | Carolina Panthers - Head Coach
