Dave Canales has built a name for himself in the NFL through years of coaching, leadership and a reputation for connecting with players. But behind the football coach is a family story that has had its share of difficult moments, honest conversations and, eventually, healing.
At the center of that story is his wife, Lizzy Canales.
Lizzy is much more than the wife of an NFL head coach. She is an author, public speaker, former athlete and a mother of four. She and Dave have also worked together on a deeply personal book about their marriage and the challenges they faced along the way.
Their relationship began during their college years and has continued through career changes, family responsibilities and serious struggles in their marriage.
Today, Lizzy remains an important part of Dave’s personal life and the family they have built together.
Who Is Dave Canales’ Wife?
Lizzy Canales is the wife of NFL coach Dave Canales.
She has developed a career of her own as a writer and public speaker, with much of her work connected to marriage, faith, personal growth, health and wellness.
Lizzy holds a master’s degree in secondary health education and has a background in athletics. Before becoming known publicly through her connection with Dave, she was already involved in sports and education.
Her interests also extend beyond her professional work. She has a strong appreciation for the outdoors, including mountains and wildlife.
That combination of athletics, education and personal experience has influenced the way she approaches her public work.
How Did Dave and Lizzy Canales Meet?
Dave and Lizzy first met while attending Azusa Pacific University.
Their relationship did not immediately become a traditional college romance. When Lizzy went abroad for a semester, the two stayed connected through email.
That period of communication helped them get to know each other in a different way.
After Lizzy returned to the United States, Dave asked her out, and their relationship eventually developed into marriage.
Their early story may sound simple, but the couple would later face some very difficult challenges.
Like many relationships, their marriage did not follow a perfectly smooth path.
Lizzy and Dave Have Four Children
Dave and Lizzy Canales are parents to four children: Ashby, Benjamin, Beatrice and Amaya.
Raising four children while Dave pursued a demanding coaching career has meant that family time has had to be protected carefully.
NFL coaching can involve long workdays, travel, game preparation and constant pressure. That makes ordinary family routines especially meaningful.
The Canales family has worked to create moments together away from the football world.
One example they have shared is getting up before the children to enjoy some quiet time together. Those early mornings give the couple a chance to talk and have coffee before the day becomes busy.
It is a small routine, but it reflects how important their relationship has remained within a hectic family schedule.
A Difficult Period in Their Marriage
The Canales marriage has also included serious struggles.
Dave has spoken publicly about problems involving infidelity, alcohol and pornography, particularly in connection with the early years of their relationship and marriage.
These revelations became part of the couple’s larger story because they eventually chose to address those problems openly rather than allowing them to remain hidden.
Dave has described having a secret side of his life that Lizzy did not initially know about.
The situation placed enormous pressure on their marriage.
For Lizzy, learning the extent of those struggles was understandably difficult. Yet rather than simply walking away, she became determined to confront what had happened and decide whether the marriage could be rebuilt.
Their story is therefore not simply one of a famous football coach and his wife. It is also a story about trust, honesty and the difficult work involved in repairing a damaged relationship.
How They Worked to Rebuild Their Marriage
One of the most important parts of Dave and Lizzy’s story is what happened after the problems became known.
The couple began working toward a different kind of marriage, one built around greater transparency, communication and faith.
Lizzy has described the process as essentially letting their old marriage end so they could create something new.
That process was not presented as an instant solution.
Rebuilding trust takes time, and the couple had to confront painful issues rather than ignore them.
Their faith also became a major part of the healing process.
For Dave and Lizzy, Christianity provided an important foundation as they worked through their relationship difficulties.
The couple eventually decided that their experiences could potentially help other people dealing with similar problems.
Their Book About Marriage
In 2022, Dave and Lizzy co-authored the book “This Marriage? The Question That Changed Everything.”
The book explores their relationship, the struggles they experienced and the process of rebuilding their marriage.
Rather than presenting a perfect relationship story, the book is built around honesty about the problems they faced.
That was part of the reason the project attracted attention.
The couple wanted their experiences to offer encouragement to other couples who might be dealing with betrayal, addiction, communication problems or a damaged relationship.
Their message is centered on the possibility of rebuilding, although their story also makes clear that doing so requires difficult conversations and genuine effort.
Lizzy’s Career Outside Her Marriage
Although Lizzy is often introduced as Dave Canales’ wife, that description does not tell the whole story.
She has her own professional interests and experience.
Her master’s degree in secondary health education reflects her long-standing interest in health and wellness. Her background as a former athlete also gives her a natural connection to physical activity and sports.
She has also worked as a writer and speaker.
Through those roles, Lizzy has been able to discuss subjects including relationships, faith, wellness and personal development.
Her work allows her to use lessons from her own life while connecting with people who may be facing challenges of their own.
Faith Became an Important Part of Their Family
Faith is one of the strongest themes in Dave and Lizzy’s story.
After the difficulties in their marriage became public, both have talked about the importance of their Christian beliefs in the rebuilding process.
Their faith became more than something they discussed publicly. It became part of how they approached forgiveness, responsibility and the future of their relationship.
That foundation has also influenced their family life.
With four children, Dave and Lizzy have had to balance parenting with the demands of Dave’s football career.
Their goal has been to maintain a strong family environment even when football takes up much of Dave’s time.
Life With an NFL Head Coach
Being married to an NFL coach can be a demanding experience.
The job is not limited to game day. Coaches spend countless hours studying opponents, preparing players, managing staff and dealing with the pressure that comes with winning and losing.
Lizzy has experienced those demands alongside Dave.
Her role as a wife and mother has meant helping maintain a sense of normal family life even when football becomes the center of attention.
At the same time, her own career and interests have given her an identity outside of Dave’s coaching career.
That balance has remained important to their relationship.
Dave and Lizzy Canales Today
Dave Canales and Lizzy Canales have built a life that looks very different from where their marriage once stood.
They are now parents of four children, professional collaborators and partners who have openly discussed the challenges they overcame.
Their relationship is not presented as perfect. Instead, their story focuses on what happened after serious problems came to light and how they worked to move forward.
For Lizzy, that journey has also become part of her work as a writer and speaker.
She has used her experiences to encourage conversations about marriage, faith and personal growth.
Final Thoughts on Lizzy Canales
Lizzy Canales is an important figure in Dave Canales’ life, but her story stands on its own.
She is an author, speaker, former athlete, health education graduate and mother of four. Her relationship with Dave began at Azusa Pacific University and eventually developed into a marriage that has lasted through some extremely challenging periods.
Their decision to publicly discuss those struggles through their 2022 book gave people a different view of the couple beyond football.
Dave’s career may put him in the NFL spotlight, but Lizzy has played a significant role in his personal journey.
Together, they have worked to turn a difficult chapter in their marriage into a story about honesty, faith, family and rebuilding.
For fans who know Dave Canales primarily as a football coach, learning about Lizzy and their family provides a much fuller picture of the person behind the NFL sideline.