The Carolina Panthers are starting to make significant moves now that they have their new general manager and head coach in place.
On Thursday, the team agreed to terms with Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales as the seventh head coach in franchise history.
“Dave’s background is rooted in success,” Panthers owner David Tepper said. “He has an innovative mindset and positive energy that connects well with players and staff. We are impressed with his ability to bring out the best in players.”
The 42-year-old Canales comes with a reputation for working his way up and making the most of the position groups and units he’s worked with. There’s also the opportunity for a philosophical agreement with the front office, as he spent eight years in Seattle working alongside new Panthers President of Football Operations/General Manager Dan Morgan.
There’s a belief that his unique offensive approach — one that helped Baker Mayfield revive his career this year in Tampa Bay, will be the perfect fit to develop Bryce Young, who the Carolina Panthers drafted with the No. 1 overall pick last year to be their franchise QB.
Coming on the heels of Tom Brady’s retirement in Tampa, Canales arrived this year alongside quarterback Baker Mayfield and helped lead them to an NFC South title and a playoff win.
And taking advantage of a quarterback who can throw on the move and get the ball downfield, the Bucs were seventh in the league in plays of 20 yards or more last year.
Prior to joining the Buccaneers, he spent 13 years with the Seahawks after following head coach Pete Carroll there from Southern Cal.
“I’m excited to work alongside Dave again,” Morgan said. “His background coaching multiple position groups has given him a great understanding of what it takes to build a successful team. His infectious personality resonates with players and everyone who comes in contact with him. I’m confident that will translate to the field.”
Carolina Panthers Fire Special Teams/Interim Head Coach Chris Tabor
With a new GM and head coach in place, decisions are starting to be made about any Panthers staffers still in place from the previous regime and if Canales and Morgan want to retain them moving forward.
On Friday, ESPN Insider Adam Schefter reported the Panthers were parting ways with Special Teams Coordinator Chris Tabor, who filled in as interim head coach when Frank Reich was abruptly fired following a Week 12 loss and rough start to the year with his rookie QB.
Reich’s last loss put Tabor in a near impossible position, inheriting the head coaching duties for a team that was (1-10) on the year. Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper fired head coach Frank Reich less than a full season into his tenure leading the organization. Carolina’s offense had particularly struggled under Reich and No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young had not taken encouraging steps in his development, which likely helped in the coach’s departure. Reich was hired by the Panthers in January after being fired by the Colts in the middle of last season.
The sudden move marked the second time in as many years that the Panthers have fired a head coach in-season and Tepper.
While Tabor was able to lead the Panthers to one more win and the team appeared to at least fight and not give up on the season, he finished the year with a (2-15) record, the worst in the NFL.
There’s a chance Chris Tabor gets a shot to lead a special teams unit for another NFL team, but he’s out of Carolina with two years remaining on his contract.
The Missouri native broke into the NFL as an assistant special teams coach for the Chicago Bears in 2008. Before that, he’d worked at the collegiate level, most notably as the running backs coach and special teams coach at Utah State (2002-2004), and then held the same positions at Western Michigan (2006-2007) before jumping to the pro ranks. He was the assistant head coach and wide receivers coach at Utah State from 2002-2004 and the only time he’s been a head coach in title (outside of interim status) came in 2001 when he was the head coach of Culver-Stockton, a private liberal arts college in Missouri.
It’s clear the Carolina Panthers are attempting to establish a new culture, but Tabor was well-respected by the players and it’s surprising he didn’t at least get consideration to lead the new special teams unit.