Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales
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Panthers' head coach Dave Canales underwent a procedure to treat skin cancer on his nose
The Carolina Panthers weren’t perfect in 2025, but they did enough to win the NFC South division, which is more than many fans were expecting entering the year. Now, the team will be tasked with finding a way to build off what it accomplished last season, and much of that responsibility is going to fall on the shoulders of head coach Dave Canales.
While the players obviously have to go out and deliver the goods, Canales played a big role in guiding a gritty Panthers team to the playoffs last year. With the team gathering for its mandatory minicamp, though, Canales took a second to shed light on a health scare that he recently endured during the offseason.
Dave Canales Reveals Skin Cancer Procedure
The past few years have been a bit of a roller-coaster ride for the Panthers, and that has certainly defined the start of Canales’ tenure in town. After building himself up as a coach on the offensive side of the ball, spending over a decade with the Seattle Seahawks before working as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ offensive coordinator in 2023, Canales was hired by Carolina in 2024.
In his first season in charge, the Panthers were a mess. Bryce Young looked unplayable, and the defense was not good enough to pick up the slack. Young eventually showed improvement at the end of the year, setting the stage for 2025. Canales helped improve the defense, and Young showed enough flashes to get the team to the playoffs.
Entering the 2026 campaign, Carolina isn’t necessarily the favorite to win the division, but it’s safe to say that the NFC South is wide open. Again, Canales will be tasked with finding unique ways to get the most out of this roster, but recently, he’s found himself taking care of some off-field business, as he had to undergo a procedure to remove a small spot of basal cell carcinoma from his nose.
“Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales wore a Band-Aid on his nose Tuesday at minicamp, later revealing that he recently underwent a procedure to remove a small spot of basal cell carcinoma,” ESPN reported. “Canales said that two months ago a routine skin cancer screening performed by the team identified some areas of concern on his nose.”
Dave Canales Dodges a Bullet with Skin Cancer Diagnosis
Dave Canales Carolina Panthers
GettyCarolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales
The good news for Canales is that basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer, and it is highly treatable. For the time being, it seems like this cancer did not grow or spread to other areas of his body, so now that it has been removed, he should be able to make a full recovery. Of course, the Panthers’ medical team is going to keep a close eye on him moving forward.
With a small bandage on his nose, Canales has been fully invested in Carolina’s mandatory minicamp, which is one of the first big steps towards the 2026 campaign. After this, the team will enjoy a month-and-a-half break from football before returning for training camp, which is when we will get our first real glimpse at what this team will be capable of.