Wide receiver Dan Chisena has been in the league for six years and signed a future contract recently to push for a seventh year in the league. He’s caught three passes, all of them here in 2024, when he was promoted from the practice squad late in the season. Chisena is self-aware and understands he’s made his living in the NFL as a special teams player, with the kind of speed that makes a difference, even if he knows it’ll never make him a household name.
The Panthers are also his fifth NFL team, having spent time with the Vikings, Steelers, Cardinals, and Ravens previously. He’s heard lots of coaches talk about building. So when he’s asked what stands out about Canales here, he has some perspective that some of the Panthers lifers don’t.
“I think the biggest thing for me is just his consistency. He’s the same,” Chisena said. “He’s steady regardless of situations, like outside situations, and I just feel like I personally relate to that. I’ve always tried to be very process-oriented, and it feels like Dave is like that.
“Win or loss, we still have to get back to work and approach the next week the same, and I feel like he communicates that very effectively, and I think that’s the strength of his.”
Chisena also appreciates the way Canales coaches the entire roster. He laughed and acknowledged it would be very easy for a head coach to not spend a tremendous amount of time with the practice squad receiver who plays special teams.
“All I can say is any time I’ve spoken with him, I feel respected and that I’m just as much a part of the team as a star player would be,” Chisena said. “So yeah, it’s cool. I don’t think that it’s a universal experience, definitely not.”