NFL head coach rankings don't love Panthers’ Dave Canales

Last offseason, the Carolina Panthers hired well-traveled Dave Canales to turn around the fortunes of a franchise that hasn’t enjoyed a winning season since 2017. He served as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator in 2023, after 13 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks’ organization. When it was all said and done, the club finished 5-12—more than doubling its win total from 2023, when Carolina finished 2-15. Canales and company overcame a rough 1-7 start this past season, and the Panthers won four of its final nine games.

That promising finish has some feeling that the club’s improved play would carry over into this upcoming season. That may very well be the case. Meanwhile, Seth Trachtman of Yardbarker came out with his NFL head coaching rankings for 2025. At No. 25 is Canales, hardly a flattering slot given the way the team finished in 2024.

Dave Canales landed near the bottom of the NFL head coach rankings

Canales and Young — Dec 22, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales talks with quarterback Bryce Young (9) during a time out during the second half against the Arizona Cardinals at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

“Canales was hired to get first overall draft choice Bryce Young on track after a horrible rookie season,” explained Trachtman, “and the early results are favorable. After an early-season benching, Young played his best ball down the stretch last year, and the Panthers’ franchise has hope again. There’s still a long way to go after a 5-12 finish in his first season, however.”

To make matters a little more humbling, there was no ranking for five men (Jacksonville’s Liam Coen, the Jets’ Aaron Glenn, Chicago’s Ben Johnson, New Orleans’ Kellen Moore, and Dallas’ Brian Schottenheimer) embarking on their first season as an NFL head coach, as was the case for Canales in 2024. This year, among men with NFL head coaching experience, only the Titans’ Brian Callahan and the Giants’ Brian Daboll are ranked below Canales.

It’s a bit of a disappointing ranking for Canales. Of course, there are a few ways that number could change in roughly a year from now.

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