Panthers Head Coach Dave Canales Shocks NFL by Disciplining His Player After Postgame Fight With Dion Dawkins and Taking Responsibility

Panthers Head Coach Dave Canales Shocks NFL by Disciplining His Player After Postgame Fight With Dion Dawkins and Taking Responsibility

Charlotte, North Carolina – After a crushing 40–9 loss to the Buffalo Bills, it seemed Carolina’s troubles would end with the scoreboard. But a heated postgame altercation between A’Shawn Robinson and Dion Dawkins turned a bad night into a full-blown controversy.

The incident occurred moments after the final whistle. According to ESPN, Dion Dawkins approached Robinson and simply said “40–9” — a blunt reminder of the score. Robinson, visibly frustrated, reacted angrily, shoving Dawkins and sparking a tense confrontation that forced teammates from both sides to step in.

Facing widespread criticism from fans and media, head coach Dave Canales addressed the situation in a press conference on Monday morning, announcing internal disciplinary action for Robinson while also accepting part of the blame himself.

“If anyone should take responsibility for what happened, it’s me. He reacted emotionally, and he needs to learn how to control those emotions. It’s my job to teach them how to handle that. I didn’t do my job well enough.” – Dave Canales stated firmly.

According to team sources, Robinson will be fined and suspended for one game, and will also be required to attend an emotional management program.

Canales emphasized that the episode should serve as a valuable lesson for the entire team:

“Dion didn’t insult anyone — he just mentioned the score. How we respond after a loss says more about who we are than the loss itself. I never want to see something like that happen again.”

The coach’s decision — combining firm discipline with personal accountability — has divided the NFL community. Some praised Canales for showing leadership and protecting his player, while others saw it as an attempt to preserve team morale amid growing frustrations.

🚨🚨MASSIVE FIGHT🚨🚨

A HUGE FIGHT BROKE OUT AFTER THE #PANTHERS - #BILLS GAME BETWEEN A GROUP OF PLAYERS.

PUNCHES AND SLAPS WERE THROWN AND PLAYERS HAD TO BE PULLED OFF EACH OTHER.

WOW… 😳😳😳
pic.twitter.com/dIqQRiIubf

— MLFootball (@MLFootball) October 26, 2025

Regardless of opinion, one thing is clear: Dave Canales has sent a powerful message — that discipline, responsibility, and humility are the first steps in rebuilding a broken team.