‘She’s Been Everything to Me’: Panthers Coach Dave Canales Gets Emotional While Thanking Wife

Newly-minted Panthers head coach Dave Canales teared up when thanking his wife for her support during his introductory press conference.

Canales got choked up while recounting a story from 20 years ago when he coached his first junior varsity game, a 34-13 loss.

“It was the greatest day in my life because I had found it. I found my passion,” Canales said. “And after two years of doing that, she comes to me, and she knew all I wanted to do was be the head coach at Carson High School, that’s what I wanted to do, get us back on top, try to win championships and do all that, and she said, ‘Hey, don’t get me wrong, I love your dream, you’re really good at this, I think you can go as far as you want and I got your back and I’ll make it happen, whatever we need to do,’ and she did.

“She worked three jobs at times, and she told me the hard truths, and when I had problems with players or coaches, she said, ‘You know what you need to do, you need to sit down and have those conversations,’ and she’s been everything to me.”

Canales added, “This is our journey, this is our dream, and we’ve been so excited and prepared for this opportunity. So, thank you, and I love you, babe.”

The Panthers new coach is no stranger to speaking out about his marriage and the level of commitment he and his wife, Lizzy, have toward each other. The couple co-authored a book in 2020 titled: This Marriage? The Question That Changed Everything.

The pair have had their dark times as well. In the book, he discloses that he cheated on his wife in addition to struggling with an addiction to porn and a drinking problem.

Canales revealed that he cheated on his wife at his bachelor party and had multiple other affairs.

“From the start of our relationship, I was binge drinking and going out with friends, without Lizzy,” Canales wrote. “Before I was ever unfaithful to her, I was already there in my mind. Bad habits combined with addiction made it hard for me to resist temptation. It was a pattern I knew well before we started dating.”

Strengthened by their Christian faith, the couple fought through their troubles and not only stayed together but have now reached the top of the coaching profession by landing an NFL head coaching position.

“Many are shocked when we tell them,” the couple wrote in their book. “For some, it is incredibly uncomfortable and maybe even convicting. For others, it is like a breath of fresh air and an invitation to go deeper into their own relationships.”