Dave Canales won't shake this one off.
During the 2024 NFL Honors show on Thursday, host Keegan-Michael Key roasted the Carolina Panthers with a joke involving star artist Taylor Swift, who is in a relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
When talking about Swift performing in Tokyo before the Super Bowl in Las Vegas Sunday, Key had this to say in his monologue:
"My understanding is that Taylor Swift is in Tokyo right now. The only people farther from the Super Bowl are the Carolina Panthers."
Canales, who recently became Carolina's head coach after serving as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offensive coordinator, reacted to the joke on X.
The 42-year-old quoted Key's line with a thinking emoji followed by a bookmark.
Canales will have plenty of work to do in Carolina after the team went 2-15 last season.
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The Panthers also don't pick in the 2024 draft until the second round after trading their first rounder to the Chicago Bears. Chicago currently owns the No. 1 overall pick, something Carolina could've definitely used to bolster its roster.
To make matters worse, the Panthers currently own six total draft picks in 2024. There's little room for error to add impact contributors on cheap contracts, unless trades are made.
Carolina hasn't made the playoffs since the 2017 season but have 2023 No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young leading the charge at quarterback.
If the Panthers can keep adding talent and end their playoff drought under Canales, the bookmark will be one he can fondly reminisce.
