Dave Canales on 'amazing' opportunity to be coaching close to UNC's Bill Belichick

Canales gushes about Belichick and the potential opportunity to learn from the legendary head coach.

Matt Alquiza | 6 Hours Ago

Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

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Carolina Panthers

NFL head coaches are a fraternity like none other. The group of individuals tasked to lead football teams at the highest level have a bond built over shared successes, commiserations, and sleepless nights that only those at the top of the profession can truly understand. Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales is new to that fraternity, but thankfully for him, he's had some great mentors along the way.

Canales often points to Seattle Seahawks legend Pete Carroll as the biggest influence in his coaching life. Carroll took Canales under his wing as the men scaled the coaching ranks on the west coast together before Dave spread his wings as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offensive coordinator last season.

Pete Carroll has since retired, but thankfully for Canales, another coaching legend has planted himself within a day's drive of Charlotte -- Bill Belichick, the newest head football coach of the University of North Carolina Tar Heels.

As speculation about Belichick making the leap to college ravaged the football landscape, Canales was asked by local media members about the idea of having the ball-knowing legend in his back yard.

His answer was a soliloquy that showed genuine reverence for the coaching legend and his dominance in New England. It's lengthy, but it's worth reading as it lends a peek into what Canales' long-term vision for the Panthers may be.

"I've just always admired the system. The whole thing and I don't know all of the details of what they were doing, I just saw the product of really good football. Teams that play together, teams that play disciplined, that were committed to playing tough football. You didn't see teams that over tried to be really fancy and all this, they just were so sound in their execution. Great situationally"

"At the end of games in four minute, in two minute, they always seemed to make the right choices. They developed their roster. Their young players grew in their systems and you see them kind of develop. Some of them they were able to retain, some of them went on to play other places. But I just had such an admiration being in Seattle and really valuing the same things with two completely different personalities with Bill and coach Carroll."

"To see that they cared about the same things. That it was always about the ball, it was all about playing all phases, and playing great situational football. That's the heart of great football. It would be amazing to have him close to try and pick his brain at some point."

When Canales spoke about 'picking his brain at some point,' a childlike smile took over his face. The respect that Carolina's head coach has for the men that came before him is clear to see. And for Panthers fans who want to recreate the type of success New England had for nearly two decade in Carolina, a meeting of the minds between Canales and Belichick could go a long way in making that happen.