Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales is facing significant criticism following his explanation for playing Bryce Young during their Week 5 matchup against the Chicago Bears.
After Young struggled in the team’s first two games of the season, Canales decided to bench him in favor of veteran quarterback Andy Dalton. The 2023 No. 1 overall pick didn’t play in Weeks 3 and 4 but made an appearance in the latter stages of Sunday’s blowout loss to the Bears.
With the game out of reach late in the second half, Canales reinserted Young, who went on to complete 4 of 7 passes for 58 yards during their 36-10 defeat.
Many observers speculated that Canales was giving Young another chance to prove himself. However, the coach’s explanation seemed to suggest otherwise.
During the postgame press conference, Canales explained that his decision to pull Dalton was primarily motivated by concerns about the offensive line’s injuries.
“We had a couple of injuries on the offensive line, and I wanted to get him in there for some live reps,” Canales said regarding his choice to rest Dalton and play Young, as reported by Joe Person of The Athletic. “With the different things happening on the offensive line, I felt it was best to get Andy out of there.”
This statement drew criticism from fans, who interpreted it as Canales putting Young in a difficult situation to protect the more experienced Dalton.
One commenter remarked, “Not ‘for experience.’ Not ‘to see what he can do after time off.’ Just as a punching bag to protect the 36-year-old bridge QB.”
Others echoed similar sentiments, criticizing Canales for his poor choice of words and decision-making. “He could’ve had so many better answers. This is not one of them,” said another fan, while one critic added, “This may be the dumbest answer he could have come up with.”
Other social media users expressed disappointment, with comments like, “Horrid answer. Good to see Bryce make a couple plays,” and “So let’s risk hurting our #1 pick. Yeah Dave, you sound like Matt Rhule more and more.”
The backlash suggests that Canales’ comments were poorly received, with many questioning his judgment as a coach. His response has fueled criticism towards both him and the Panthers organization, as they continue to face scrutiny for their handling of Bryce Young. Calls for the team to make changes are likely to grow louder following Canales’ remarks.
