Carolina Panthers coach Dave Canales’ family sat mesmerized by Sunday afternoon must-see NFL TV.
With his family gathered, Canales said: “It was amazing. We all yelled like crazy.”
Stationed mostly on the couch at his Charlotte, N.C., home, Canales watched the Atlanta Falcons defeat the visiting New Orleans Saints, 19-17. The outcome clinched the NFC South championship for the Panthers (8-9), their first since 2017.
The Panthers, who fell to the 8-9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 16-14 on Saturday, earned the divisional tiebreaker because they swept the Falcons this season.
“I’m just so excited for Panthers fans everywhere,” Canales said during a teleconference Sunday.
The second-year coach experienced the public’s display of emotion first-hand after the Falcons (8-9) survived a late Saints rally.
“The neighborhood is crazy,” Canales said. “We were yelling from our couch as a family and walked outside where we normally ride bikes and walk the dogs, and there were just neighbors out in (their) front yards.
“Everyone was really excited.”
Dave Canales guided #Panthers to an NFC South title in his second season as an #NFL coach … pic.twitter.com/ezVzxd9lNU
— Jeff Hawkins (@WriterHawkins) January 5, 2026
Carolina Panthers Preparing For Los Angeles Rams Rematch
The Panthers will face the No. 5-seed Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round next Saturday or Sunday. The Panthers beat the Rams, 31-28, at Bank of America Stadium on Nov. 30.
“I’m so grateful to have one more opportunity to get back to work where we can get on that grass. We go through the preparation, we have our meetings, and once we’re in cleats and once we’re on that grass, it’s like the next thing becomes really clear, the focus of what we’re doing, the walkthroughs, and the opponent. It just becomes all about that, and that’s what’s so cool about this time of year.
“It’s like, here we go, we get one more opportunity. Let’s keep this, let’s make this statement true: 1-0 with a chance to win the championship, how long can we keep that statement true?”
#Panthers’ linebackers will be tested by #Rams’ high-scoring offense during the #NFL Wild Csrd matchup next weekend … pic.twitter.com/5iw84L4Mnu
— Jeff Hawkins (@WriterHawkins) January 5, 2026
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