The dynamic between last year’s head coach and offensive coordinator was a relatively complicated one for the Carolina Panthers. But it really feels as though they won’t have that type of issue this time around.
New offensive coordinator Brad Idzik spoke with reporters on Tuesday afternoon. He was asked about his relationship with head coach Dave Canales, whom he’s shared a sideline with for quite some time.
“I think there’s a familiarity and trust with me and Dave that runs pretty deep,” Idzik said. “We’ve known each other for a long time, and we’ve always pinged ideas off each other. We kinda play devil’s advocate to each other—which I think, for us, keeps each other in check.
“But at the same time, we know what each other wants. When you mention philosophy, we know we wanna run the ball. We wanna start up front and play a physical game, and the rest will kinda build off that.”
The working relationship between the two began in 2019, when Idzik started his career on the NFL sidelines as an assistant wide receivers coach for the Seattle Seahawks. Canales, at the time, was in his second year as the Seahawks’ quarterbacks coach.
After four years together in Seattle, Idzik and Canales moved on to Tampa Bay in 2023—where the former was the wide receivers coach and the latter their offensive coordinator.
Despite his big new title, Idzik is not expected to call play for the offense—at least to start. Those duties will belong to Canales.
Nonetheless, this duo will likely stick to playing healthy games of devil’s advocate, and not hot potato like the previous fellas.