NFL Network Insiders: Dave Canales Will Get Interviews For Head Coach Openings

January 3rd, 2024

Coaching carousel chatter.

People mocked Joe for suggesting last week Bucs offensive coordinator Dave Canales might get a head coaching job next season.

Well, three NFL Network insiders who are way more plugged into the league than Joe is have gone on record saying the very same thing.

In an internet-only weekday show produced by NFL Network called “The NFL Report,” seen on NFL+ and YouTube, NFL Network reporters Steve Wyche, Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero each stated Canales will get interviews — plural — after the NFL coaching carousel begins to churn full speed in five days, known in NFL circles as “Black Monday.”

It’s the annual day several coaches on the hot seat officially get the boot.

In speaking about NFC South coaches possibly cleaning out their offices next week, Garafolo is certain a Bucs win over the Stinking Panthers will lock Todd Bowles in for next year.

A Bucs win, also means Canales will be a “sneaky” candidate to fill one of the head coach openings, the analyts all agreed.

Mike Garafolo: As for Todd Bowles and Dave Canales, the offensive coordinator, I think the hay should already be in the barn there. This was a team that new they were going to pare things down there this season. ‘We’re not going to spend.’ They’re going to get their books back in order. And for this team to be on the verge of — look, just beat the Panthers. Just beat the Panthers; you’re in the postseason. That can shut the door. Not only, No. 1, not only will that shut the door on potentially the Buccaneers moving on from Todd Bowles. But No. 2, makes Dave Canales a sneaky — I say sneaky — head coaching candidate. I say ‘sneaky’ because I don’t think he gets himself a job this season but he gets himself some interviews.

Steve Wyche: He’s going to get some interviews.

Tom Pelissero: He’s going to get interviews, yep.

Garafolo: Yup, and he fulfills a Rooney Rule requirement because he is a minority interview, which is not why he’s going to get interviews. He’s going to get interviews because he is an exciting, energetic young coach who has some good offensive schemes he brought down there and brought some good offensive coaching down there. So he will get some interviews down there.

I you are in a room for an interview, you have a shot. Mike Tomlin and Mike McDaniel each had just one year as an NFL coordinator, got interviews and knocked it out of the park. See where they are now?

Would Joe hire Canales if there was an opening? A week ago Joe thought Canales would be a strong candidate. Canales has a solid track record with the game’s most important position (and most teams’ most expensive investment). That alone gives Canales a leg up.

Plus, Canales has the perfect personality to represent a franchise. Owners are by nature and background corporate creatures. Tell Joe that from a corporate standpoint, you wouldn’t want a polished, bright guy like Canales to represent your organization.

Joe thought the way the Bucs offense developed against Green Bay and Jacksonville that Canales finally got it and learned how to use all of his weapons to construct a dangerous, potent offense.

Then came the slimy Saints game. Ugh, regression!

Do owners covet a guy like Canales to represent their teams? Sure. They also want their important, expensive investments (quarterbacks) to earn their pay and draw people to games (and viewers to TVs) for a fun, entertaining experience. Prime time games make owners even more cash.

At the end of the day, the NFL is a business and owners are businessmen. Never lose sight of that.

44 Responses to “NFL Network Insiders: Dave Canales Will Get Interviews For Head Coach Openings”

  1. Zzbucs Says:

    Seriously??
    He can be an interesting project, but not now.

    Doesn’t make any sense…….. yet.

  2. Jerseybuc Says:

    Did canals regress or did bowels want to run more? I hate to lose canals think his future is bright young offensive mind you def. Want to keep around. Totally hated last weeks game plan count believe that’s what they trotted out

  3. B.D Says:

    He is a minority? Do they even know who he is?…..

  4. Joe Says:

    Did canals regress or did bowels want to run more?

    That question has crossed Joe’s mind more than a few times.

    But Joe was maybe eight feet from Todd Bowles on Sunday when the very first thing Bowles said in his postgame remarks was “Coaches have to come up with better gameplans.”

  5. JamesEvans24 Says:

    A week ago these same national types were talking up Mr. coach my scheme part 2 for coach of the year. This is why I do not watch them or pay attention AT ALL! This is totally OUTRAGEOUS!

  6. JamesEvans24 Says:

    I keep it right here! I don’t trust them because they have the tendency to say whatever sticks for clicks and likes. Unbelievable to suggest this after last Sunday

  7. NutterBuccer Says:

    Minority? Dude is white as can be

  8. Let em bake Says:

    Of course . Most owners are smart. They plan ahead. See potential. Like the baker signing, most people didn’t want to see the value and potential upside. He’ll get looks, but will refuse with class out of gratitude for the Bucs organization. Unless ( he is a religious man) he feels lead to do otherwise . Ian heckles take this week on coaching, btw, talks about canales.

  9. Citrus County Says:

    OK Glazer family. What do you do now ? You dumped Lovie for Koetter. You are now in the exact same position.

  10. Cobraboy Says:

    WTF?

    Is the NFL cupboard *that* bare?

  11. Joe Says:

    OK Glazer family. What do you do now ? You dumped Lovie for Koetter. You are now in the exact same position.

    Chucky for Rah.

  12. WyomingJoe Says:

    If Todd Bowles remains HC (and I think he will with a win Sunday) then Canales will stay with the Bucs in 2024. That probably means Baker and Evans are back as well. If so, Canales gets to further enhance his reputation because the Bucs will beef up their O-Line and D-line through the draft and free agency making him a much more attractive HC candidate in 2025.

    If Bowles is canned, and someone like Monken becomes HC, then Canales is probably gone since Monken will be calling his own plays. Of course, Monken might be given the job IF he promises to retain Canales. Canales could gain a lot of experience working under Monken. Plus Monken had a good relationship with Baker when they were in Cleveland. Sorry Baker Hater Bois.

  13. Zoocomics Says:

    I’m so tired of Bowles taking the fall for every damn thing this team does. I get it, he’s the coach, at the end of the day, he will fall on the sword, but I can’t count the number of fans that immediately blame Bowels for the play calling because Canales is just too smart to be so stubborn?

    Canales is the play caller, Bowles is not inserting himself into the offense saying he wants Canales to push the run… Bowles inserts himself on situational football, making the call to go on 4th down, field goal calls, whether we push the ball for points before half, etc. In fact, Canales is still calling the play when Bowles does go on a 4th down to go scenario. I will guarantee that Bowles isn’t telling Canales we’re going on 4th down play and I want you to run it vs pass…it’s an offensive discussion of what the defense is showing, Canales then has a whole support team providing him feedback on short yardage that this is the best probable package to get the first down.

    That game against the Saints was the same damn offense we put out there against Carolina and Atlanta, the difference is the Saints played like a playoff team leaving us that razor thin margin for error that has buried us against good to better football teams this season.

  14. Tye Says:

    Letting Canales go could hurt the Bucs for years to come…
    He is in all likelihood the reason for this years success…

    Unsure at QB and IF Bowels is still HC, then next year could easily be the 5-12 season that so many predicted would be this year since good OCs aren’t easy to come by…

  15. Citrus County Says:

    Good afternoon Joe. Will the 3rd time be the charm ?

    I think this decision should be left up to Jason Licht. He would probably shiver at the notion but he’s the ONLY one of the bunch I would trust.

  16. Buc4evr Says:

    Bye Felicia.. Canales as a head coach will be fun to watch. The guy isn’t even a credible OC, but he talks the talk. If the Glazers were smart they would swallow their pride and hire Chucky. I know it will not happen, but it would be better than these idiot coaches. Plus the media buzz would be insane. I can’t imagine another year of Bowles or Canales. Neither of these guys are going to get this team back to the big dance. Waste of the good players we have left on the roster.

  17. Beeej Says:

    His grandparents were illegals from Mexico who acquired citizenship by serving in the US military

  18. TexasBuc 1976 Says:

    So much BS hype from the talking heads who have to write something every day. He’s proven nothing to this point.

  19. bucsfan951 Says:

    “Ugh, regression!”

    That’s an understatment!

    If I was a Glazer, it all depends on the salary cap next season and how things finsih this season. If the bucs can get themselves out of cap hell after this season, that means more spending on Bowles’ type players. What happens if the Bucs go 6-11 next season? Is Todd bounced? Now the new coach is stuck with players that do not fit his system and we go on this round about once again.

    If it was up to me, if the Bucs can pretty much get out of cap hell after this season, you send this coaching crew packing and start over.

  20. Crickett Baker Says:

    Right. Canales is Mexican. I can not see him even going for a HC interview unless he gets fired–which I hope doesn’t happen.

  21. Boss Says:

    only way this makes any sense is the rest of the league thinking…man if he can win under toilet bowl he can win anywhere..

  22. Oz Len Says:

    Dang, Eric Beienimy will never get a team if Canales is what the owners are calling a minority candidate.

  23. Citrus County Says:

    OK kids, what time is it ?

    It’s HOWDY DOODY TIME.

  24. BucsFan81 Says:

    They can have him and hell they can have Bowles also. Canales can go to someone else team and keep running the damn ball for 1 or 2 yards a pop all game long even know it doesn’t work.

  25. Darin Says:

    Id take canales over bowles. I’m curious to see what Dave is without training wheels.

  26. #99 the big fella Says:

    If he is smart he will take a job .. Bowles is out of here

  27. Glass Half Full Guy Says:

    And I’m still mocking you and now hove “3 NFL Network insiders” to add to my list of ppl to mock. Then I can move on to mock the teams that actually interview him for a HC job.

    I understand that the coaching pool is dreadfully watered down, but c’mon.

    So much mocking, so little time.

  28. BillyBucco Says:

    Why do guys continue to say Bowles wanted to RUN more when R White had 11 carries.
    Hell, I wish they had run more.
    Right before the White fumble the run game was taking off.
    It takes our coaches way to long to make adjustments and you can pit that squarely on Bowles, but he DOESNT call plays, give it up!!!
    Just line up and play football with what works and quit trying to reinvent the wheel with plays you HOPE might work. Unless you have been practicing a trick play for weeks, and you can call it at the perfect time, it isn’t gonna work in this league.

  29. orlbucfan Says:

    You have got to be kidding me?! Right now, I have been wanting to club Canales over the head with a bat. You bet he regressed against NOLA. And bring back Chucky Gruden, huh? Exactly how stupid are some of the commenters on here? This is going to be a close game, and the idiotic trust fund kid owning the Panthers better keep his cool.

  30. Vlad The Impaler Says:

    Citrus County Says:

    OK Glazer family. What do you do now ? You dumped Lovie for Koetter. You are now in the exact same position.

    ________________________

    ^This.

    Hpefully one of Canales’ HC’ing opportunities is with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers……but then it’s Dirk Koetter Pt II…..Todd’s an excellent defensive mind…….we don’t need Mike Smith Pt II.
    Maybe Canales could be HC/OC and Bowles could be DC??

  31. RuKa Says:

    He is still learning how to call plays and someone will handover to him a full team? Wow…. Strange world we are in…

  32. pepsi Says:

    Canales… Rooney Rule? what? are we just going to gloss over that Joe?

  33. BamaBuc Says:

    He will get some interviews, but not really based on his accomplishments this year, (let’s face it, the offense stinks) but rather his future potential and being articulate. Hell, i’d rather have him as HC of the bucs over Bowles. He just hasnt earned it yet IMO

  34. Buckeyebuckchuck Says:

    That’s a stretch. He shows promise but hasn’t really achieved much yet. The only owner who might stretch to get him is Tepper…after all the top prospects say, “No thank you, crazy impatient career killer”. If that’s the case, run Dave run!

  35. Pewter power Says:

    Doesn’t matter what your scheme is if the quarterback doesn’t read the defense properly and hit the open guy well that is unless your name is Byron leftwich. I could see him being a head coach who has to hire an ex head coach on staff to help him

  36. realistic-optimistic Says:

    I don’t think Canales is ready for HC yet, but he is charismatic and intelligent. He speaks well during interviews and press conferences. If he gets interviewed it’s totally possible that some owner hires him. Better to be early than late. I don’t think Baker is good enough, but even he is having his best year under Canales. Evans is having a great season. The running game, while still not there, is better than last year. This offense is way more entertaining than the product Lefty was concocting.

  37. HC Grover Says:

    I needed a laugh.

  38. Tony marks Says:

    “People mocked Joe for suggesting last week Bucs offensive coordinator Dave Canales might get a head coaching job next season”

    No we mocked that you had no source but another media talking head and you still don’t. From your own post

    “But No. 2, makes Dave Canales a sneaky — I say sneaky — head coaching candidate. I say ‘sneaky’ because I don’t think he gets himself a job this season but he gets himself some interviews.”

    Thats clearly conjecture.

    A source would be ” a team I taked to indicates to me they are going to bring in Canales for an interview.”

    Huge difference.

  39. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    The owners who hire him would be making a huge mistake. He is not ready.

    But this is really starting to sound like the switch from Smith to Koetter.

  40. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    For those asking the ‘minority’ questions: Dave Canales is of Mexican descent. Through his grandmother.

  41. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    Gruden – Morris
    Smith – Koetter
    Bowles – Canales?

    Don’t do it. He would need about 4 years to start doing well, and Tampa does not have the patience for it. Fans would want him fired halfway through his first season.

  42. Jack Clark Says:

    How is Dave Canales a minority? Don’t Mexicans get to classify themselves as white? Funny how some people can have white privilege and receive benefits from being a minority. Absolutely crazy

  43. Knucknbuc Says:

    Yea sure he will (rolls eyes)

  44. garro Says:

    Four more talking heads grabbing clicks…

    Geez!

    Go Bucs!