New Panthers coach Dave Canales shed tears Thursday while discussing the role his wife Lizzy played in his ascension to an NFL head coach.
Canales detailed how 20 years ago he coached his first game as the JV coach for Carson High School (Calif.) against Venice High School, a 34-13 loss.
Lizzy watched from the stands with what he approximated were “35 crazy parents,” but that blowout loss set the stage for the rest of his coaching career.
“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.
“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.”
Canales’ relationship with his wife is one of successes and struggles, and the two chronicled their journey in a 2022 book they co-authored, titled: “This Marriage? The Question That Changed Everything.”
He reveals in the book how he cheated on his wife and battled a porn addition and binge drinking.
Canales first cheated on his wife at his bachelor party, and admitted to multiple affairs.
Early on in their marriage, Canales would take his wedding ring off at times when he was out with friends and act as if he wasn’t married.
“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.”
The couple wrote the book to reveal how their Christian faith helped them move past the infidelity and allow Dave to overcome his addictions.
“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.”