Dave Canales making major change for Panthers’ final preseason outing

The Carolina Panthers have dropped their first two preseason games this year—by a combined score of 50-13. The 20-3 loss at Houston last week was very disappointing as starting quarterback Bryce Young (who played only 2 series) struggled. As a team, the Panthers managed a field goal and a mere 164 total yards by afternoon’s end.

Head coach Dave Canales had already stated that his starters would not play Thursday night vs. the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers. On Tuesday, he revealed some other changes in contrast to the team’s first two preseason contests.

Dave Canales and Ejiro Evero will call the plays Thursday after delegating that responsibility to assistants the first two preseason games.
— Joe Person (@josephperson) August 19, 2025

“(Defensive coordinator) Ejiro (Evero) and I will call this game,” explained Canales (via Anthony Rizzuti of Panthers Wire). “It may seem weird to people, ‘You’re not playing the starters, but you’re calling it.’ But, again, it’s for he and I just to continue to find the sequence of winning a game, of striving, of making adjustments and kinda utilizing the new information that the guys have.”

Jul 24, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Brad Idzik walks out to training camp. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

Dave Canales and Ejiro Evero will handle play-calling duties vs. Steelers

Obviously, that means that both the head coach and the defensive coordinator were not in those roles vs. the Browns and the Texans. “Canales spoke with reporters after today's practice,” added Rizzuti, “and was asked which coaches were on play-calling duties for the first two preseason games. He said that offensive coordinator Brad Idzik was in charge of, yes, the offense while the defense was led by defensive passing game coordinator Jonathan Cooley in Week 1 and then by linebackers coach Pete Hansen in Week 2.”

It is certainly not unusual for teams to experiment in numerous ways during the preseason. Of course, Canales is getting ready to begin his second season as an NFL head coach. There’s still obviously a lot of work to be done before it all starts for real with a trip to Jacksonville.

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