The Carolina Panthers are coming off a season where they won the NFC South, took a Los Angeles Rams team to the wire in a playoff game, and even got rookie WR Tetairoa McMillan the Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Now, QB whisperer turned head coach Dave Canales is handing over play-calling duties to the offensive coordinator and good friend, Brad Idzik. Idzik will become one of the youngest offensive play-callers ever in the NFL at just 34 years old.
Internal promotion
Canales has called Idzik the “primary architect for what we do offensively – with the run game, the pass game, and the connection of it.” Idzik also called plays during two of the Panthers 2025 preseason games, until Canales took back the reins for the final game.
Both have now been working together for 5 years, going from Seattle to Tampa Bay and ending up in Carolina. Idzik has served in many offensive roles, including the 2025 non-play calling offensive coordinator – this will be his chance to finally run the offense at any level.
Idzik also comes from a family legacy in the NFL, from grandfather John Idzik Sr, father John Idzik Jr, and now son Brad. Idzik spent 4 years as a Wake Forest WR, where he was a non-scholarship player, though I am unable to find any stats. He then moved to Stanford as a graduate assistant from 2014-2018, where he met notable Carolina Panthers Brycen Tremayne in that 2018 season. Finally, Idzik would go on to work as an assistant wide receivers coach from 2019 until 2022, where he was promoted to WR coach with the Buccaneers in 2023.
Idzik philosophy
Unfortunately, given the lack of chances Idzik has had, we are unable to glean much from what changes might occur for the Bryce Young-led offense. His player-centered approach echoes his grandfather’s era of coaching, where understanding what each player does best allows you to maximize their overall strengths. Rather than conform to a rigid system, Idzik wants to incorporate veterans into planning, pull clips of executing techniques successfully to create a connection, and even going as far as to work with backup QBs on game planning. Though he was primarily a WR coach for the majority of his career, the knowledge gained from family experiences has to lend value to the young, newly named play-caller.
Why now?
HC Dave Canales led the team, though the offense ranked just 27th in both yards and points per game in 2025, something that didn’t shake his confidence in the young OC. The trust built over those 5 years has made a bedrock of trust from the head coach to the offensive coordinator. Canales even said recently that the move was “extremely difficult” as he loved the satisfaction of calling plays, but said ultimately, it was the best chance for the Panthers offense to succeed.
Many fans have also criticized the move as other offensive coordinators were available, like former Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel, but ultimately the Panthers and Canales decided that the internal change was one that could possibly right the ship ahead of a pivotal year for the staff. Canales and Idzik both head into year 3 with the Panthers, and with the NFC South title under their belt, it might be something great on the horizon for the young Carolina Panthers.
