Dave Canales, the head coach of the Panthers, recently shared his thoughts on the team’s 2025 schedule. He acknowledged that the release of the schedule brings excitement and anticipation. “When the schedule does come out, there is an excitement,” Canales said. Despite this enthusiasm, he emphasized focusing on day-to-day preparations leading up to each game.
The coach highlighted four main takeaways from the new schedule. First, he noted that the Panthers have a late bye week in Week 14. While this could be seen as a disadvantage, Canales sees it as an opportunity to regroup before the final stretch of games. “I love that the bye comes, and then you got those four games to finish,” he stated.
Canales also pointed out how non-divisional games are grouped in the middle of the season, allowing for varied competition against different teams. “Right in the middle, there we have about a stretch of six non-division games in a row,” he explained.
In September, three out of four games will be played on the road. Canales views these away games as a chance for team bonding and growth early in the season. “I’ve always seen those opportunities as a chance for us to bond and kind of grow closer,” he mentioned.
Another point of interest is Derrick Brown’s return from injury after missing most of last season due to a meniscus tear. Brown has been working diligently on his rehabilitation and is optimistic about rejoining his teammates on the field soon. “I’m feeling good, man, feeling great,” Brown told reporters.
Lastly, Canales discussed potential joint practices with other NFL teams during training camp. The Panthers already plan to practice with Cleveland Browns before their first preseason game and are exploring similar opportunities with Houston Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers.
“We’re open to those things with the Texans and Steelers,” Canales said regarding possible joint practices aimed at acclimating players to different environments.
Overall, while Dave Canales looks forward to tackling each challenge as it comes during this upcoming season, he’s also making strategic plans based on key elements identified within their 2025 schedule.
