Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales revealed a health scare he dealt with in the offseason. During the Panthers’ minicamp on Tuesday, Canales said he underwent a procedure on his nose to remove a basal cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer.
Wearing a Band-Aid on his nose, the 45-year-old Canales shared that the concerning spot was identified during a routine screening done by the team.
“It’s a good reminder not to take these things for granted,” Canales said on Tuesday, via Steve Reed of The Associated Press.
“It was a basal cell type of skin cancer in a small spot, and they were able to get it off. So I’m really appreciative.”
Canales appeared to be in good spirits, though. He even took the opportunity to remind others to undergo precautionary measures to catch the disease early, saying that his mother “had the same thing when she was in her 40s,” via Darin Gantt of Panthers.com
“So this is my opportunity to say go get screened,” Canales added. “This is something that can be caught and detected early; they took care of it and took care of me, so I’m really appreciative of them.”
Canales is entering his third season as Carolina’s head coach. The Panthers went 5-12 and missed the playoffs in his first year with the team in 2024, but he guided them to an 8-9 record and a postseason appearance in 2025.
