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October 13, 2025 • 14 mins
Dave Canales speaks with the media on Monday, October 13, 2025.

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Speaker 1 (00:00):
We pun for the review.

Speaker 2 (00:07):
Really proud of this group, really proud of the way
they came together to win in all phases. It took
all three to get that done at the end of
the game and to watch the guys execute down the
stretch and was a perfect No. Did we give up
some big plays, yes, and we had some things we
need to clean up procedurally, but we took steps, we

(00:28):
showed progress. We're coming together and the execution is starting
to improve. And it's all because of the work. It's
all because of the way that the guys have taken
the practices so seriously and communicating with each other and
really growing this team. So I'm just proud of this
group coming together find a way to get a win.

Speaker 3 (00:46):
Dave, you said back in the off seas gonna take
about four to six weeks. You know who this team is?
Six weeks and do you have a clear enough picture
to know who you guys are?

Speaker 2 (00:54):
Yeah, and that picture kind of keeps changing. You know,
We've been affected by injuries with different people you know
coming to us, and of course this week we're going
to have a few more guys that are going to
have an opportunity to come help us. And trying to
find that chemistry. But it is. It's finding the styles
of runs, it's finding the style of pass game that's
going to work for us, and as far as the

(01:16):
defense goes, same thing. It's finding the coverages and pressures
that work for us scheme wise, to play play off
of each other and swarm the football like we expect,
you know. And I'm seeing that, Yes, I'm seeing that
park come together, but I think the picture still isn't
crystal clear. We're still waiting for some guys to continue
to make bigger impacts things that we expect them, you know,

(01:38):
to grow in and to help us with.

Speaker 3 (01:40):
Guys who potentially could help you. Jail and Coocher, You
guys are not activate him last week? How close was
he and where's he at right now?

Speaker 2 (01:46):
Well, he's really close. He looks great. We'll give you
the full report on Wednesday. But you know this this
week is going to be a big week for him
to really prove physically, to prove that he can do
it and handle a load that we're expecting.

Speaker 4 (02:00):
Group a few guys that could help.

Speaker 2 (02:02):
Yeah, it's j T Sanders, you know, it's Austin Corbett.
His window will open this week and to see where
he's at physically, and again this is proving that we
can handle the physical load from a football standpoint. So
it's Turk Wharton, it's all those guys Cuba of course.

Speaker 5 (02:17):
Yeah, your your O line has been performed pretty well,
especially over the last couple of weeks, and it allowed
you to run basically whatever you wanted. How does that
help with the fluidity of your play calling?

Speaker 2 (02:33):
Yeah, it's so important. I don't have to second guest
calls in different situations, in different areas on the field.
I can just go with the call that fits the zone,
that fits the area that we're in, and I don't
have to take too many things into consideration when I
have guys that I trust, like Brady Christiansen and Yasho
has played, you know, a couple of games for us
over the course of time, so there is a trust

(02:54):
factor that that's really important.

Speaker 6 (02:56):
Just clarify, you said, Corbett, you were going to open
his window.

Speaker 2 (03:00):
Yes, yes, we will.

Speaker 6 (03:03):
Along the lines of the offense and growing things. Bryce
has got really good numbers lading games, coming back, game
win drives, those kind of things. Are there common threads
you see in him in those situations that kind of
lead to.

Speaker 2 (03:16):
Some of that belief consistency. He expects to win this.
This has kind of been wired into him for forever.
You know, he was a high school winner, he was
a college winner in the pros. We're trying to build
a team that expects to win, that expects to have success,
and to see those outcomes be possible as a group.
It's about belief. And that's what I see from Bryce

(03:38):
is he just keeps believing. He just keeps going back
and attacking. And you know, when the odds are a
little bit stacked against him in some games and he
might feel like there's you know, I've just seen him
respond really well in a competitive way to take on
the challenge and to hit it, you know, right up front,
to go to his guys that he counts on TMAC,

(03:59):
you know, Jimmy popping up, He goes to Hunter on
a fourth and four, you know, so guys that he's
growing trust with, just finding a way to win.

Speaker 5 (04:08):
J C said that he.

Speaker 1 (04:09):
Went to ever Row and asked to line up against
pick Ends on that last drive. Did you know about
that request? And then can you tell me about him
having the confidence or of wanting to go up against
the number one wire receiver and is that a Is
that something y'all could have done earlier in the game.

Speaker 2 (04:29):
I love that about JC. I'm not going to get
into the conversations about what happens with the coaches on
and the players on the sideline. Different strategies, different ways
to affect it. You know, there's if you're a Manda
mand team, you can follow a guy everywhere all the time.
You know, we have a little mix of man, but
we're mostly a zone team, and so from a strategy standpoint,
and I don't really want to get into the specifics

(04:50):
of the conversation, but j C loved the competitiveness. You know,
he's like, put me over there. You know, he's got
that pit bull mentality. I wasn't aware of that until
after the game. But again, you know, I'm glad we
have guys like that that want to take those challenges.

Speaker 1 (05:03):
A player led team, what's that another example of what
you envision when you say that this is a player
led team.

Speaker 2 (05:10):
Absolutely absolutely, it's it's the results of things that happen
in the game. Now, we do need to play within
the system. We need to play within the confines of
what we're doing. We also ask the guys don't make
stuff up. You know, let's let's just execute our ball
and trust the calls that are out there. But I
want feedback from the players and it's up to us
to be responsible with that information as coaches. You know,

(05:31):
we know just because a player asked for something doesn't
always mean we do it. You know, it has to
fit within the nature of the full game plan and
the opponent that we're playing. And but this these are
really important things because it's about ownership. At the end
of the day. If if something is yours, you'll do
whatever you in your power to protect it. You'll do
whatever in your power to make sure that it's successful.
And as I see that ownership happening throughout this group,

(05:54):
you know, whether it's Rico asking for a specific run,
you know, or whether it's JC Talon saying, hey, let
me go play, let me go cover this guy. You know,
I love that type of ownership because they are the
ones out there at the end of the day on
the field that get to execute this game prior to
you know, pre agency and look at and redo there.

Speaker 6 (06:12):
When was the first time you actually watched him and
studied him and all your impressions.

Speaker 2 (06:18):
It was in twenty twenty three in Tampa and Skip
Pete's the running back coach in Tampa. He had Rico
as a practice squad running back in Dallas. So when
when when he worked with me in Tampa, he said,
a guy, we need to take a look at his
Rico Daldele. You love this kid. He's aggressive, he's smart,
he's really into it. He's a little bit quiet, a

(06:40):
little serious, but he's he loves the game, plays a
game with passion. And you know, just kind of knowing
his history, you know, we didn't end up, you know,
acquiring him at the time, but Skip was right. You know,
he's he's all those things. He's an aggressive runner, and
he's tough, and he cares and he's focused and all
the things you love in a teammate and a player.
Right to be the starting running back man, And we'll

(07:02):
see going back to the offensive line, Damian Lewis has
just been kind of road grading people the past couple
of weeks.

Speaker 5 (07:09):
Bryce said, sometimes y'all will even stop date just to
like give.

Speaker 2 (07:12):
Davy in his moment, what have you seen from him
just in the run game and blocking and everything. It's
it's his attitude. He is. He is a violent player,
and for him, it's like a it's like a one
on one like wrestling match. It's like a it's a
fistfight out there for him. And he takes that mentality
out there. He takes that aggressiveness in that attitude, the

(07:32):
attacking mentality that we love. But I also think the
hidden part of it is Damien just continues to improve
his technique. And he'd be up here and tell you,
like there are times where he gets out of his
his hands get wide, or you know, he gets high
in his stance and different things like that, and he
just he's been really committed to the fundamentals, keeping good
path level. He's got natural leverage. You know, he's a six' three,

(07:54):
guy he's not a six to five. Guy but but
just improving his FUNDAMENTALS i think is one of the
biggest piece is why he's playing so well right.

Speaker 4 (08:01):
Now could you help, explain like What Derek brown's, return
how has that helped other guys In rundy in, Particular
if it.

Speaker 2 (08:12):
Has he's relentless and that's infectious for the whole. Group
you see a group running to the ball and it
starts With Derek, brown and it's the reason why we
had to have this guy long term and the reason
why he's a, captain and the reason WHY i, Asked,
derek you got anything to, say it's because of what
he does every. Day he does this in practice and

(08:33):
he chases the ball down and if it's thrown down the,
field he comes out the stack and he chases the.
Pass if it's a run, game he knocks it, back
he gets off the block and then runs down the
line of, scrimmage whether it's to him or away from.
Him and it's that type of mentality like that should
be the. Standard that's the standard for defensive football in.
General and he certainly has a huge impact on his.

Speaker 6 (08:53):
Teammates they are a couple other of the keys, TOO
i mean the run dye in the last couple of,
WEEKS i think fifty year it's total you've given.

Speaker 4 (09:01):
Up but in addition To, derek what would.

Speaker 2 (09:04):
You point to set and? Edges Pat, JONES Dj, Wanham
Nick Gordon. Princeley princeley had a couple of nice plays
on first and second, down set and edges and chasing
it on the back, half and then of course Having
Bobby brown having A Shawn, Robinson Lebrian ray coming. Back
he's playing great against a, run knocking things. Back but
it starts with those front five and then It's trevin

(09:27):
And boom just running like. Crazy but even when we
watch the film To Get today as a, team you're
SEEING jc And Mike jack show up in the run
game the corner set and edge, first the outside linebackers
in the corner starts come up and set, edges and
all of a, sudden your. Pursuit it's a shorter. Run
you can set a tight, edge it's a shorter run
to the, ball and it works that. Way it's all

(09:47):
got to be tied.

Speaker 6 (09:47):
In you're very familiar obviously now With bryce and then
also With Baker, mayfield who's having an incredible. SEASON i
just wondered if you see any similarities in those two
to coach them so you know as.

Speaker 2 (10:02):
Much probably the biggest similarity would just be, belief belief and.
Confidence you, know it's it's the. Return it's the return
to the sideline after a touchdown or after an, interception
and it's the. Refocus it's the return to, like all,
right we got more, football and just having that type
of mentality where but the next play could be a.
Touchdown and that's a great trait to, have you, Know

(10:25):
and that makes me feel confident THAT i can just
continue to call the game that's supposed to be called
versus having to make adjustments based on what the quarterback.
Feels And bryce gives me confidence to just call whatever's
on the sheet for whatever the area, is and we
can just build from. There and how important is it
For royce to prove that he can win on the.
ROAD i think it's important for The panthers to show

(10:46):
that we can take this on the road and play good,
football stop the, run run the, ball be balanced and.
Complimentary you, know this is a this is a big
deal for. Us we have to find a way to
play well on the. Road we're looking at all the.
Things we're looking at all the, scheduling looking at how
we go to the, hotel how we, travel how we
practice going into. It i'm scrutinizing all of it just
to try to find an edge to see if we

(11:07):
can help our team perform better from start to finish
on the. ROAD a great challenge this week going up
To New. York Jeff, brown he's my, guy and THEN
i just have a wealth of KNOWLEDGE i have, COACHED
i have coach Called well in my. POCKET i got
Coach kper's THAT i can talk, To Harold goodwins and
my assistant head. Coach he's been around a bunch of
different coaches and he kind of remembers the different flow

(11:29):
and what worked for different. Teams it's not always the
same at what worked for us In seattle doesn't necessarily
work for us In, tampa which doesn't necessarily work for us.
Here i'm trying to find that mix SO i can
do my part and make sure that the structure of
it is. Right now we can point to the, basics
take care of the football early in games and don't
spot a team ten. Points that's, big. Right is there

(11:50):
anything anything at all that's affecting how we execute and
how we. Play i'm willing to look at it and
try it and just try to find an. Edge we'll
do a couple.

Speaker 3 (11:59):
More you brought Up Harelf good, when, yeah the run
scheming has worked out exponentially well in the last few.
Weeks what has he brought to those discussions with you
And brad and why has it started to?

Speaker 2 (12:11):
Play year one was about establishing the mid zone system
and getting the different variety of ways to that's the
core of our. System and SO i was really committed
to making SURE i got enough of those called through
camp through the. Season let's have tube a grow with this.
System learn how to hit the, cuts learn the front door,

(12:31):
cut the back door. Cut and you could see him
over the course of the last season really start to hit
those those runs and be patient with and let it
develop how those blocks are hit on the second level as,
well and what it takes to be. Connected this offseason
was about diving, into, now how do we protect the
core of our. Scheme how do we throw variety at.
It can we get gap schemes, Involved can we get

(12:52):
toss cracks. Involved can we get the play passes to come?
Alive you, know and the better you run the, ball
the more the play action becomes. Deadly and we hit
a couple explosives yesterday in the past, game just using different.
Options But goodie's done an excellent job of just giving
variety and working With brad and they both were charged,
with you, know just looking at different teams and seeing

(13:14):
what we can incorporate in things that we had in
the past that we can grow to and it's coming
to live a lot quicker THAN i, expected And i'm
very excited about where we're at with. It mass question From.

Speaker 6 (13:24):
Scott you Faced Steve wilkes's defenses for what are the
primary challenges.

Speaker 3 (13:31):
You expect this?

Speaker 2 (13:31):
Week it's an aggressive, attack you, know looking at the
first couple of weeks and then and then looking at
what they did last, week it's a there's a little
bit of, change so there is some, variety AND i
know he's got a lot. MORE i remember coaching against
or being a part of staffs that went Against steve
wilkes defenses and, uh the attacking, style the exotic, pressures

(13:54):
and they had a lot more than what they're doing right.
Now but there was a little bit of a. Shift
but this is a group that, salty they run to the,
ball they're a very aggressive. Group they got a good
front and it's it's certainly gonna be a good challenge
for us this. Week all, right thank.

Speaker 3 (14:08):
You m m.

Speaker 5 (14:10):
Hmmmm
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