Vibes were certainly high as 40,000 people attended the Carolina Panthers “fan fest”. Every NFL team seems to have their own version of this event, with the Panthers securing one of their largest attendances of all time.
Bryce Young has more weapons on offense than he ever has before. On a team that is in the running for Micah Parsons, anything can happen as the Panthers look for their first playoff appearance since 2017.
Dave Canales Confirms The Starters Will Play in the First Two Preseason Games
If fan fest proved anything, it’s the fact that Panthers fans love their football team. This is a team that won just two games in 2023. Last season, they doubled their win total, finishing 5-12. After using their No. 7 pick on Tetairoa McMillan, Young seems more confident than ever as he’ll get his first taste of live action next weekend.
Kay Adams had the chance to sit down with Dave Canales who enters his second year as head coach. While he’s on his third team in the last four seasons, Canales is still trying to find himself as a HC. His debut season went quite well, as three of the Panthers final five losses were by one score.
Dave Canales just confirmed on @UpAndAdamsShow that Bryce Young and rookie WR Tetairoa McMillan will play at least one series in Week 1 of Panthers preseason vs the Browns#KeepPoundingpic.twitter.com/sOQPQO7H0S
— Blande (@JustBlande) August 1, 2025
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“Absolutely,” Canales said when asked if the starters will suit up in the preseason. He continued, “My plan is to play a series or two with the starters for the first two preseason games.”
“I’m excited to get them out there. It goes beyond the reps in the game. It’s the night before and morning of. It’s what you eat and how you prepare. Going through the process of body readiness going into the games as much as going out there and playing the game,” Canales mentioned.
He added, “I’m excited to kind of throw them at the guys, especially some of the younger players. Certainly our starters, just playing together and feeling what that feels like to prep the night before all the way going up to it.”
Canales Treated Fan Fest Like a Preseason Game
Heading into fan fest, Canales wanted to treat it like the first of four preseason games. Unless a team is in the Hall of Fame game, they only have a three-game preseason slate. Obviously, he didn’t want his teammates taking each other out, but it’s a style of football different from what was seen in training camp.
Full pads, crowd full of Panthers fans?
Dave Canales says he’s pumped to see his team play a physical style of football at Fan Fest, and is imagining it is Preseason Game 1 📅@heykayadams | @Panthers #KeepPounding pic.twitter.com/eXneEyUmYN
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) August 1, 2025
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“This is like preseason one for us,” he said. “This is an opportunity for all of you to make an impact. We’ve got full speed special teams. We’re not holding any punches. We’re doing everything but laying out and tackling at the legs.”
Young did his thing at fan fest, but McMillan is the one who’s received rave reviews this camp. Adams tried to ask Young who WR1 is heading into the season, a question he refused to answer.
August 8 marks the first preseason game for the Panthers. They open at home against the Cleveland Browns. It’s the lone Friday game of their preseason schedule. From there, they play at Houston on Saturday, August 16. Finally, their preseason slate ends on Thursday night at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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