
Panthers' Bryce Young and Dave Canales in a better place after some tense moments in 2024
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As he walked out to the football field at Johnson C. Smith University for his football camp on a sunny Saturday morning, Bryce Young spotted his head coach standing on the sideline.
Young dapped Dave Canales, and the Carolina Panthers quarterback and second-year coach talked for a few minutes before Young's introductory remarks to more than 300 campers. Canales wasn't the only member of the organization who showed up to support Young. However, Canales' presence was significant, coming nine months after he made the difficult decision to bench Young following a tough two-game start to the 2024 season.
Advertisement
'It's about this love and respect factor, that we've grown with each other through hard times,' Canales said. 'Bryce, during the season, showed me his leadership. Showed me that even when we were a struggling team, even when I took him out, he stayed in the center of it. And he continued to lead. And for him to have the respect to say, 'Look, I don't agree with your decision, Coach.' But working together to continue to grow this thing means so much.'
Returning to the lineup after Andy Dalton injured his thumb in a car accident, Young ended the season on an upswing. Playing with confidence, Young looked much closer to the Heisman Trophy winner whom the Panthers drafted first overall in 2023 than the inconsistent, uncertain QB from his rookie season and early last year.
Not sure if I've ever seen a head coach come out for a player's camp.Different vibe around the Panthers this year. pic.twitter.com/v5z8OVoYcJ
— Joe Person (@josephperson) June 7, 2025
Despite Young's resurgence, Canales initially refrained from naming him the full-time starter. He didn't want to disrespect Dalton or put undue pressure on Young, who eventually left Canales no choice. After Young's virtuoso, five-touchdown performance in a 44-38 season-ending win at Atlanta, Canales said the Panthers had their 'guy' at quarterback.
That declaration — along with taking another first-round receiver in the draft — put Young in a comfortable spot heading into his third season. But Young doesn't want to get too comfortable.
'I appreciate the support. I'm grateful for the staff and for the team, obviously, just believing in me and us going (forward) together. We all have the goal to win,' Young said during an interview before his camp.
'So it's good, and now it's on us to put the work in in the offseason. Make sure we're going the right direction, working on things, getting to where we need to be for the start of the year. After minicamp, it'll be on us individually to make sure we're right, and then go into training camp and into the season.'
Advertisement
Young will go into the season knowing he now has the backing of a coach who sat him down after just two games — lopsided losses to the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Chargers in which Young threw three interceptions and no touchdowns and finished with two of the worst passer ratings of his career (the 32.8 rating versus the Saints is his lowest).
Canales, the longtime Seattle Seahawks assistant who had served as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offensive coordinator for one year, had been hired in part because of his role in reviving the careers of quarterbacks Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield.
But he also had the team to think about, and risked losing the locker room if he stuck with a struggling QB. So Canales made the switch before a Week 3 trip to Las Vegas, knowing it would leave a mark on Young and damage their relationship.
'I struggled with that a lot because you see historically what can happen when you have a quarterback (who) comes in and you go through some challenges. Some guys don't have the resilience to be able to battle through the emotional strain, as well as the football strain combined,' Canales said Saturday.
'I was nervous about that and I struggled with that. That decision was not taken lightly. That risk brought out the best in Bryce.'
Trade speculation immediately followed the benching, although Canales said at the time the Panthers were not considering moving Young.
The benching did not sit well with Young or anyone in his camp. But Canales praised his handling of the situation.
'During that time while we were still kind of repairing our relationship, we made it about football because that's what we could control today,' Canales said. 'How can we grow our processes? How can we have conversations about what we're doing offensively? And then just attack the football part. To have that part, that commonality, that mutual respect, I was impressed with how he kept coming back to work and just attacking it.'
Advertisement
In addition to Canales, three of Young's teammates came to the camp: receiver Xavier Legette and offensive linemen Taylor Moton and Austin Corbett. Offensive coordinator Brad Idzik, special teams coordinator Tracy Smith, assistant coach Daren Bates and game management coordinator George Li also were there.
Team photo. pic.twitter.com/6zCCwCsFV3
— Joe Person (@josephperson) June 7, 2025
Canales brought two of his daughters, Beatrice and Amaya, who wore headbands and football gloves. Craig Young, Bryce's father, appreciated that Canales didn't just make a token appearance but engaged with campers while watching the drills.
Craig Young also praised how general manager Dan Morgan has continued to add pieces around Bryce, whose lobbying efforts had at least some role in the team's decision to take Arizona receiver Tetairoa McMillan over a defensive player with the eighth pick.
'I'm super excited with the job that the staff — and specifically coach Canales and Dan — are doing with surrounding him with great weapons, with a great scheme, great protection,' Craig Young said. 'I just feel like he has a level of comfort now. And with most things, when there's familiarity and comfort — and then you're building off of previous success — that's usually a recipe for growth.'
For the second consecutive year, Young's camp featured a unique mental health component. Halfway through the morning, campers gathered around Young, his parents, his aunt, a counselor and a therapist who led everyone through a series of breathing exercises. Craig Young, a marriage and family therapist, had earlier spoken with parents about youth mental health, the focus of the Young 9 Foundation, which the quarterback leads.
'It's our second (camp) in Charlotte. It means a lot,' he said. 'We just want it to be a day for the kids to have fun, enjoy themselves with football but also be able to have conversations about mental health. … To have some tools that can help them, whether it be in sports or in life.'
Young interacted with the campers, who ranged in age from 6 to 14. He handed the ball off at a running back station, threw short passes during a receiving drill and dapped and spoke to the young players throughout the day.
It was a fun, relaxed vibe, not unlike what seems to be surrounding the organization with Young entering Year 3 as the clear starter after some tense moments between the coach and quarterback last year.
Advertisement
'All that weight is just gone. We saw it at the end of the year when Bryce was just being Bryce. … He just gets to go be that without thinking about it. To have that just gone makes him play at an extremely high level effortlessly,' said Corbett, the veteran center.
'It's a testament to Dave being able to do his job, put aside the personal side and understand there is gonna be that little fracture going through that relationship. But it's the ability to mend it, and a genuine, authentic love for the game, love for Bryce as a person that allows that move to be (made) and come back strong.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Panthers Sending Strong Message to NFL in 2025
Panthers Sending Strong Message to NFL in 2025 originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Carolina Panthers were written off early in 2024. Now, just months later, one NFL analyst believes they're quietly building a team no one wants to play. Advertisement In a league where narratives can shift overnight, Aaron Leming of Windy City Gridironlisted Carolina as one of the NFL's most improved teams heading into the 2025 season, joining a group of rebuilding squads that all lost 12 or more games last year. But Leming didn't include the Panthers out of sympathy. He pointed to concrete roster upgrades and a rejuvenated quarterback as reasons for real optimism in Charlotte. 'They went from an easy win to a team nobody wanted to face down the stretch,' Leming noted, referencing Carolina's improved play late last season. Indeed, after a disastrous 1-7 start in 2024, the Panthers finished the year by winning four of their final nine, including a dramatic overtime victory over Atlanta in Week 18. That turnaround was sparked by the resurgence of quarterback Bryce Young, who showed flashes of his Heisman-caliber talent after early-season struggles and a temporary benching. Under new head coach Dave Canales and general manager Dan Morgan, the Panthers attacked the offseason with urgency. They added high-upside youth through the draft, highlighted by No. 8 overall pick Tetairoa McMillan, an explosive wide receiver with WR1 potential, and edge rushers Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen. Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales with Ian Thomas (80) in the third quarter at Bank of America Stadium.© Bob Donnan-Imagn Images The front office also turned to free agency to reinforce the defense, signing disruptive linemen Patrick Jones II, Tershawn Wharton, and Bobby Brown III. On the back end, safety Tre'Von Moehrig and rookie Lathan Ransom will help anchor what was a porous secondary. Advertisement 'The Jones, Wharton, and Brown additions will complement the high-round selections of Scourton and Umanmielen,' Leming explained. 'Add in Moehrig and Ransom… that should be enough to help get the Panthers' defense closer to league average.' That might not sound glamorous, but for a team that ranked bottom-five in nearly every defensive metric last year, average could be transformational. On the offensive side, retaining Adam Thielen's veteran presence and drafting McMillan give Young a stronger supporting cast. With running backs Chuba Hubbard and new addition Rico Dowdle forming a thunder-and-lightning backfield, Carolina may finally be able to control the tempo. Health will be crucial. The offensive line's ability to keep Young upright is perhaps the biggest variable standing between another lost season and a potential playoff push. Advertisement Leming put it plainly: 'Assuming the Panthers' offensive line can stay healthy, the offense has a quality ceiling.' It's still early. The Panthers are months away from taking a snap that counts. But with roster upgrades on both sides of the ball, a quarterback with something to prove, and a coach known for QB development, Carolina may not just be improved, they may be dangerous. Panthers fans, it's time to watch closely. The rebuild may finally be taking root. Related: Former Panthers Franchise Player Sparks Buzz with Bold Business Move Related: Panthers Join Savannah Bananas for Historic Weekend in Charlotte This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.

Associated Press
43 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Bills RB James Cook present for team's mandatory practice amid contract concerns, AP source says
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Bills running back James Cook put aside his contract concerns — and avoided the potential of being fined — by attending the start of the team's three-day mandatory series of practices on Tuesday, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because coach Sean McDermott isn't scheduled to address the media until later in the day. The Athletic first reported Cook was present at the team's facility. Cook's attendance comes after he went public with his desire to negotiate a contract extension while entering the fourth and final year of his rookie deal. He was the NFL's co-leader in rushing touchdowns with 16 last year, and skipped Buffalo's six previous spring practices and month-long workout sessions, all of which were voluntary. Cook was selected by Buffalo in the second round of the 2022 draft out of Georgia. His older brother is Dalvin Cook, best known for his six seasons in Minnesota and who spent last year appearing in two games with Dallas. In February, Cook informally began his public negotiation by posting the message '15 mill year' on his Instagram account. A month later, during an appearance on a podcast with former NFLers Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson, Cook said, 'Pay me the big bucks,' and adding, 'I want to get what I asked for.' He also made the case for his fellow NFL running backs being underpaid in saying: 'I feel like we deserve to get paid,' and asking, 'How (are) we not valuable?' In April, Cook listed his Buffalo-area home as being for sale. General manager Brandon Beane has on several occasions noted how much he respects and values Cook, while also acknowledging the two sides aren't on the same page in contract talks. In late March, Beane specifically referenced Cook in announcing he was cutting off contract discussions to focus on the draft. 'Just because we don't have James signed today doesn't mean next year we still can't get him done before he gets to free agency,' Beane said. 'We want him to have success. We're rooting for him ... But we are where we are, and there's no hard feelings from us.' Cook proved to be the odd-man out in Beane's offseason binge of signing core players to multiyear contract extensions. The group was made up of quarterback Josh Allen, receiver Khalil Shakir, edge rusher Greg Rousseau, linebacker Terrel Bernard and cornerback Christian Benford. Cook's 16 touchdowns rushing matched a Bills single-season record set by O.J. Simpson, and he also scored two more receiving. He was part of a Bills offense that finished second in the NFL in averaging more than 30 points per outing. After scoring just two touchdowns rushing in each of his first two seasons, Cook's jump in production coincided with Joe Brady's first full season as Buffalo's offensive coordinator, and the team's initiative to have Allen rush less to reduce exposing him to injury. ___ AP NFL:


New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Sauce Gardner present at Jets minicamp while waiting on new contract: Sources
Sauce Gardner is present at the start of the New York Jets' mandatory OTAs, according to league sources. While stars like T.J. Watt (Pittsburgh), Trey Hendrickson (Cincinnati) and Terry McLaurin (Washington) are expected to be absent for the start of minicamps, Gardner and Garrett Wilson, both still on their rookie contracts though now eligible for extensions, continue to show up as the Jets enjoy what has so far been a drama-free spring. Advertisement Both Gardner and Wilson have stated publicly that they want to be Jets 'for life' — while both are also seeking contracts that would make them among the highest-paid at their positions. As for Gardner, specifically: He wants to be the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL, which would place him around $30 million per season. He certainly has a case to get it considering he was an All-Pro in each of his first two seasons. He was solid in 2024 too, even if it could be argued it was a down season by his standards. Gardner, who turns 25 in August, is a crucial piece of the Jets' new-look defense with head coach Aaron Glenn and defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, one that should deploy more man coverage than it did under Robert Saleh. It should also feature Gardner lining up across the other team's best wide receiver most of the time. As for Wilson: He's less likely to pursue a contract as the highest-paid receiver. That would reach Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson territory, and he's not quite in their class yet. However, he's produced at a remarkable level through three seasons despite turmoil at quarterback and offensive coordinator. Wilson, who turns 25 in July, recorded three straight 1,000-yard seasons and is in line to get the ball a lot in 2025 while playing his college quarterback (Justin Fields) and in an offense without a clearly defined second option in the passing game. Wilson's frustration was a topic of conversation as the Jets bumbled their way to a five-win season last year. If the franchise continued to struggle, he might have looked to move from the organization. But Wilson has been a fan of the Jets' offseason moves — both in terms of coaching and quarterback — and a couple weeks ago stated his desire to be here long-term. It hasn't hurt that he's shown up for every offseason workout and OTA practice. Gardner missed at least one voluntary practice but has mostly been present this offseason too. Advertisement 'I want to be a part of something special,' Wilson said a couple weeks ago during OTAs. 'I don't think that a whole bunch of individuals makes something special. As a group aspect, this is a group thing and I wanted to get in and know my teammates. I want to get in to know my coaches, even. This is a new staff. Learn the material that they're putting out and not be the guy that's behind when this thing is mandatory (in minicamp in June), right? There's a way you go about business when you love what you do.'