Dave Canales addresses Rashaad Penny's retirement
A surprising piece of news came out of the Carolina Panthers camp on Tuesday, as it was revealed running back Rashaad Penny was retiring after six seasons in the NFL.
While Penny is far removed from his time as a first-string running back, he still figured to help the Dave Canales and the Panthers offense in 2024. After hearing of the news, Carolina’s first-year head coach spoke to Penny’s character, and shed some light on the decision from the running back.
“Rashaad Penny, Rashaad Penny has decided to retire,” Canales started, speaking with the media regarding the former San Diego State Aztecs superstar running back. “You know, it was a really cool opportunity for me to see — I know Rashaad at his best, to see if we can get him to that kind of look. You know, he came up, and he just really felt like he wasn’t himself, and I had to respect that going forward.
“For him, you know, I don’t understand what that’s like, to have a feel, to have a vision and wanting your body to do exactly what you tell it to do, and just not responding the right way. So, for sure, I was glad to be a part of this process with him, just because I’ve known him for so long, and I wish Rashaad the best.”
Alas, instead of gearing up for season No. 7 in the NFL, Penny will be calling it a career. It’s evident he didn’t believe his body could perform at the level he expects, and that happens to each NFL player on a long enough timeline. He’s officially placed him on the reserve/retired list by Carolina.
The Panthers originally signed Penny in May, with the plan being to reunite him with Dave Canales, who served as an assistant on the Seattle Seahawks coaching staff while he was there from 2018-22. Canales obviously valued their past relationship.
During his five seasons with Seattle, Penny, who was selected in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, showcased his talent, even though injuries prevented him from doing more. He suited up in 42 games (11 starts), tallying 1,918 yards on 5.7 yards per carry and 13 touchdowns.
He suffered a season-ending broken fibula in Week 5 of the 2022 regular season and went into the 2023 offseason as a free agent. He’d then sign a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles, but rarely saw any in-game action. He appeared in just three games, rushing for 33 yards on 11 carries.
Now, Rashaad Penny will move on to the next chapter in his life, while Dave Canales and the Carolina Panthers wish the running back all the best in his future endeavors.
On3’s Nick Geddes contributed to this article.