CHARLOTTE — A funny thing happened in the locker room after Sunday’s loss to the Eagles. There wasn’t an immediate rush to the door.
Usually, after a road game, particularly a road loss, guys shower quickly, change, and head for the bus that takes them to the airport. And it’s not that guys were lingering, but there was a clear sense of camaraderie after that game, which you don’t always see.
After head coach Dave Canales spoke to the team and went back to his office to change for the flight, guys began to gather. Canales mentioned that Chuba Hubbard had topped the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career. People came to congratulate him. Hubbard then thanked his offensive line, and people came to congratulate them. And that circle kept growing. It wasn’t just the starting five, but backup guard and eligible extra blocker Chandler Zavala was part of it; injured center Austin Corbett was on the trip and he got pulled into the group. Like a rock dropped into a still pond, the ripple kept expanding, bringing more and more guys into the recognition.
It wasn’t a party — they know they lost, and close isn’t enough — but it was a growing number of people engaged in a shared purpose. And you could sense the difference.
Canales didn’t tell them to congregate, it happened organically. And that’s the important part. This team is beginning to internalize his message, say his words back, and get closer to the goals that were abstract concepts at the beginning of the season. They know the expectation and that they’re still short of it. But they can also see that the work is beginning to pay off, and that’s drawing them closer together.
Veteran safety Jordan Fuller, asked Sunday about Canales’ message and how it was received, said, “It’s a little stronger now.”
“It’s just like, you see it, believe it,” Fuller continued. “Like, we’re supposed to be in these games, a few of these games we were supposed to win, you know? So now, believe it.
“I’m quite confident we’re right there, and we’re going to keep putting the work in to get over that hump.”
The Panthers have four games left. There’s a lot to play for, including that shared vision coaches always talk about, which the Panthers are beginning to see.
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