"NOTHING IS GIVEN — YOU TAKE WHAT YOU WANT": DAVE CANALES IGNITES A NEW ERA IN CAROLINA

The Carolina Panthers are done playing it safe.

A new chapter is being written in Charlotte, and new head coach Dave Canales just lit a fire under the locker room with a fierce message that’s quickly becoming the battle cry of a franchise hungry to reclaim its identity.

Facing a team desperate for change, Canales didn’t hold back. He looked his players in the eyes and delivered this no-nonsense warning:

“I DON’T CARE WHAT SCHOOL YOU CAME FROM OR HOW MANY STARS YOU HAD. THIS IS CAROLINA — THE HEAT’S RELENTLESS, AND SO ARE WE. YOU EARN YOUR SPOT WITH DISCIPLINE, TOUGHNESS, AND DOG IN YOUR HEART. NOTHING’S GIVEN. YOU TAKE WHAT YOU WANT.”

This wasn’t just a speech. It was a mission statement.

From Day One, Canales has made it clear: Mental toughness. Personal accountability. Real football. In today’s Panthers locker room, nobody lives off their name. Undrafted rookies and seasoned vets alike — you want a spot? You fight for it.

Sources from training camp say the atmosphere has completely transformed. Players are arriving earlier, practicing harder, locking in. One staffer described it bluntly: “It feels like we’re building an empire from scratch. Canales is the fire this team’s been missing for years.”

The road back to the top won’t be easy. But under Dave Canales, the Panthers aren’t backing down — they’re charging forward. They’re fighting.

Carolina is back — tougher, meaner, and hungrier than ever.