Could Dave Canales Be The Next Bucs Head Coach?
October 30th, 2026
Despite the excitement surrounding Sunday’s Bucs-Falcons game, a critical NFC South landfill matchup that could feature well over 10,000 empty seats at The Licht House, many Bucs fans are dialed in on who will replace Todd Bowles as head coach.
The consensus among fans is that Bowles will be and should be launched for his five-season performance (2022-2026).
So where might Team Glazer turn?
Joe is intrigued by the hot seat burning under the buttocks of Panthers head coach Dave Canales, the 2023 Bucs offensive coordinator. The Panthers entered this season with very high expectations and their owner, David Tepper, is not a patient man. Canales, 45, is in Year 3 of his regime and Carolina set a high bar after nearly beating the Rams in the playoffs last season.
After a hot start to this season, Panthers QB Bryce Young has played like, well, Bryce Young in his past two starts. The Panthers have fallen to 3-4 and there’s a lot of “Fire Canales” chatter out there.
While a 3-4 record might be celebrated now in Tampa, the attitude is different in Charlotte.
Young is under his rookie contract through the 2027 season and Carolina may look to remake its organization if the team misses the playoffs.
Might Canales be attractive to Team Glazer? Joe thinks that’s very possible.
Aside from having measurable success taking over a dumpster fire 2-15 football team, Canales is a well-spoken face of an organization, and his salary is low compared to other NFL coaches. He also qualifies as a minority candidate under the NFL rules that care about designations. It also helps that he’s known at One Buc Palace and he’s successfully worked with the Bucs’ high-priced quarterback.
The Panthers defense was supposed to be fixed and its become the team’s downfall, allowing 27-plus points per game, including last night’s loss to the Packers.
Joe is not advocating for Canales, but Joe sure could stomach a Canales-Jim Schwartz (defensive coordinator) tandem.
October 30th, 2026 at 5:55 am
IF we were to hire Canales, I’d prefer it to be as OC, with Mike Tomlin as the HC!
October 30th, 2026 at 5:59 am
No thanks, Dava Canales (just say no to mediocrity). No way, Chucky (the over-tinkerer). Go raid the Chiefs or 49ers tree.
October 30th, 2026 at 6:01 am
Dave Canales?
Dumpster Fire lol??!!!?? Canales took over a two-win team. –Joe
Where did this article come from?
And as a side note, I would take Canales back.
I thought he was the Best OC the Bucs had during Mayfield’s time here!
It took him a while, but he got the offense clicking
October 30th, 2026 at 6:02 am
I’m thinking outside the NFL. Mario Cristobal? He put the U back on the map. Built the program up from the bottom. I want someone with no ties to the organization.
October 30th, 2026 at 6:04 am
hard pass. seems like an alright guy but his offense was mid, panthers have been mid. coen turned the jags around year 1… I’d rather roll the dice on the next hot prospect. the bucs have a lot of attractive assets for a top coach prospect. young talented defense, solid enough o-line… a qb that can play well enough in a good system. let’s find the next guy. retreads never work out. like a bad ex gf.
October 30th, 2026 at 6:05 am
That scenario would help solve the argument over coaching vs. talent. Some fans on here believe that there is little talent on this team while others believe that it’s coaching that is holding this team back. I’m in the mindset that the majority of the issues on this team is coaching. (See Special teams 2025 vs. 2026) Also, Mayfield 46 TDs under Coen. Could be both, but I’d bet this same exact roster wouldn’t be 2-5 under Canales and Schwartz.
October 30th, 2026 at 6:09 am
No.
October 30th, 2026 at 6:12 am
No also,, Stiechen/Schwartz ,,, Riley /Scheartz , A good young O mind with the power of the Schwartz
October 30th, 2026 at 6:15 am
Also, the Carolina loss leaves us in contention. Can Zach put it together to beat his old team? Can Bowles shut down Robinson and Penix and big defensive breakdowns? We need the win to climb towards the top of the South heap.
October 30th, 2026 at 6:19 am
So they would jettison a defensive minded coach who finally has all the tools needed for an offensive minded coach who can’t get the most out of a shorter than average former number one draft pick qb? Then bring in a dc who runs a different scheme to mess with a unit that is finally playing to its potential? Yep, that would work. Oh yeah, an offensive minded coach who watched another offensive minded coach run circles around his game plans a year later. Additionally, a defensive minded coach who took is ball and went home when he didn’t get promoted. Yeah, that will be what they want to do.
The Bucs sacrificed the defense to get an explosive offense a few years back and won a championship. They’ve then retooled their defense, with some admitted drafting mistakes, to bring back balance and remain competitive. The difference between the Bucs and the Chiefs in this post Brady era? Mahomes. Otherwise the parallels are similar except that their HCs run different sides of the ball.
October 30th, 2026 at 6:32 am
Pass he wasn’t that good of an OC here
October 30th, 2026 at 6:37 am
NO
October 30th, 2026 at 6:42 am
Anything would be an improved.
October 30th, 2026 at 6:48 am
Stop it Joes !
But….
With the Glazer’s track record of dancing with no rhythm it would not surprise me.
The title implies JL would still be here as GM
October 30th, 2026 at 6:57 am
He is in zero trouble in Carolina. He over achieved last year and with all the injuries they have he is overachieving this year if we are being honest. No chance he gets fired in f anything they will go get a Qb.
If he did get fired he would have opportunities all over the league but I would bring him back here in a heartbeat.
All a moot point because we are beating the Falcons Sunday and will be half game out of playoffs.
October 30th, 2026 at 6:58 am
Canales will stay put. The Saints will hire Danny Smith as HC away from the Bucs. We will end up 8-9 and keep Bowles.
October 30th, 2026 at 7:08 am
Canales has over-achieved, but their loss to the Bucs is because they came out flat and didn’t respect the Bucs – a bad look for Canales.
I do like the idea of retaining Larry Foote as DC. It would be a step up for him and he could run the same system, but streamline it, and enhance the edge rush.
October 30th, 2026 at 7:10 am
I’ll take Schwartz for D coordinator any day of the week, Canales not so sure about.
October 30th, 2026 at 7:13 am
I cant believe we,are even talking about minority candidates in 2026 in the article above. This country is the most merit based it has been in its 250 years. Guess who will be our Governor?
October 30th, 2026 at 7:20 am
@WalkDaPlank,
You bring up some interesting points. Your comparison to the Chiefs is something I would have never thought of, but your pov definitely correlates to the teeter tottering between these franchise’s offenses and defenses. This is what I love about comments…there are so many eyes (commentors) on the potato (Todd/Jason/Glazers), yet the potato does not see.
One major difference is that the Chiefs have multiple notches on their belt with a QB, TE, and Edge that they drafted and developed under one system. The Bucs have one notch with a group of mercenaries (Brady, Gronk, Suh, JPP, Fournette….some might even say BA) and have been on an OC teeter totter ever since while suffering through inadequate HC performance yr after yr. While your comparison is intriguing, there may be more of a difference than just Mahomes (and he’s a big “just”)
October 30th, 2026 at 7:40 am
I could live with a Canales/Schwartz combo. But let’s change the paradigm. Lets make them co-HCs (I would actually prefer Flores in this role). Then, hire a strong proven HC to be your GM to meditate with ultimate veto power to actually lead a franchise like a GM should. Someone like Tomlin or even Belichick would suffice. Time to put football ppl in charge of football operations rather than Licht being led around like bull with a nose ring by the Glazers. You could even give licht a figure head title (like he currently has), President of Football Operations, and let him continue to run the scouting dept and/or be available should the experiment collapse.
Give all 3 aforementioned candidates short 2-3 yr contracts. Time enough to either settle in this new role (curb egoes, groom into GM, etc) and if the new corporate structure is not working, pick the cream of the crop to continue on as HC.
Im just spitballing in an attempt to address longterm retention and create a competitive spirit within the org. This passive complacency under Licht has gone on way too long
October 30th, 2026 at 7:41 am
Hard pass ( and highly unlikely ) on “Can Do” Canales. He’s sounding more and more like a snake oil/Amway salesman every interview. I prefer him as a co-author…where “El Hornay” had to write about his many affairs and “fast living”. Fascinating read…almost like he was held hostage to write it as punishment.
October 30th, 2026 at 7:46 am
You should check out various Panthers blogs out there. Their complaints and criticisms of Canales are fair. Maybe that’s just fans being fans, but they’re probably not too far off the mark. I’m not sure I’d want that here.
October 30th, 2026 at 7:47 am
That guy looked c0ked out during his mid game interview.
October 30th, 2026 at 7:50 am
“NFL rules that care about designations” are how we got Raheem as a head coach with almost no resume to speak of, and we saw how that worked out.
At least Lovie was a DC for more than 4 games and had some HC experience.
Those rules are also how we “just happened” to end up with a choice between Byron Leftwich and Incredibly Average Todd Bowles, both of which were stinkers.
I don’t care about race when it comes to candidates for HC, but we’ve got to break this pattern of hiring bad candidates when race is taken into account. The better answer is to get rid of the rule entirely and let teams hire the best possible candidates.
October 30th, 2026 at 7:53 am
I feel like Joe is trolling us 🙂
October 30th, 2026 at 7:58 am
Constantly trolled.
October 30th, 2026 at 7:59 am
Let’s see here. Bowles and Canales have squared off 5 times since Dave left. Bowles is 4-1 in those 5 games. Hmm? Great idea. If you have half a brain.
October 30th, 2026 at 8:05 am
Bucco doesn’t care about race but complains about it…LMAO
Raheen was hired because they thought he was the next superstar HC in waiting. Bowles and Leftwich were hired because of Arians sh!tty timing for retirement.
October 30th, 2026 at 8:07 am
How bout Noooo! The Panthers are what we/me thought they were! Besides now that the stage is set after canals losing last night ,Tampa swoops in with the victory over Atlanta claiming the top spot in the best division in football, Bowles get coach of the year!!…Playoffs here we come
Meaningful games in December after a dismal start
October 30th, 2026 at 8:12 am
What a stupid article
October 30th, 2026 at 8:29 am
Speaking of another let’s run it back mistake
October 30th, 2026 at 8:37 am
If it was canales or Bowles I’d easily go with Canales.
But I don’t want either of them.
October 30th, 2026 at 8:39 am
At 11-5 I see Super Bowl baby!!!!!!
Nice try Joe!
October 30th, 2026 at 8:44 am
Josh McDaniel
October 30th, 2026 at 9:11 am
Sometimes I just dont know about this site.. it has some good stuff, but then stuff like this pops up. A guy that constantly has one of the worst defenses in the league, a guy that had to give up play calling to get a “top 5” offense.. and even that offense is full of high school RPOs that both the bucs and packers shut down. Yea he should be the bucs HC. Wtf man.
Nowhere here did you read he should be the Bucs head coach. That aside, you do realize he took over a two-win team with a low-rent quarterback he was forced to work with?–Joe
October 30th, 2026 at 9:13 am
A lot of you have big expectations for the type of coach that this team can recruit. Maybe Bowles doesn’t look so bad when you start talking about guys like this that could take his place. You’re not getting big names here
October 30th, 2026 at 9:29 am
Some really good points made beyond Joe’s initial comments. But really it’s all mute right now depending on how the other half of the season pants out. And really a lot of it hinges on this next game. If we win this next game or especially lose it and get burned the rest of the season. Then this conversation is in full swing. If we beat the falcons and went over 50% of the rest of our games taken the division went in a playoff game a lot will be changed maybe not with the fans but the front office isn’t going to mingle with what seems to be working.
October 30th, 2026 at 9:32 am
No. Sean McDermott please
October 30th, 2026 at 9:38 am
Dumb idea . This must be the same Joe that’s wants to run everyone for more draft picks. The hire needs to be Tomlin or Kiffin.
October 30th, 2026 at 9:51 am
McDaniel has two failed Head Coach stints on his resume. A big no to that. Maybe OC, where he’s been more successful.
October 30th, 2026 at 9:58 am
No.
October 30th, 2026 at 10:22 am
Ridiculous. But, if the goal is to further deflate the fan base, then he’d be a great hire.
October 30th, 2026 at 10:26 am
Bowles – Licht – Mayfield will all be back in 2027 – Vea Godwin Wirfs Winfield too – maybe some deck chairs will be moved around but that’s it – rinse and repeat – and there’s nothing wrong with that – Jets Browns Dolphins Raiders fans are loyal through the bad years – Bucs fans are used to bad years – many many bad years – we still have two Lombardi trophies – nobody can take them away – I am kinda glad it’s gonna rain this Sunday – I usually go to the Bucs-Falcons game every year – skip it this year – watch on TV instead – maybe @ Hooter’s !!
October 30th, 2026 at 10:26 am
We helped Canales fire his defensive coordinator 😭🤣
October 30th, 2026 at 10:32 am
For once Kenton Smith and I are in agreement. Hard pass on Canales.
These types of articles are completely unnecessary and a waste of time.
We already are mired in a five year regression plan. No need to push that envelope further.
A new direction should not include recycling yesterday’s rubbish.
The “HC” needs to go along with the “GM” immediately. A real QB wouldn’t hurt either.
October 30th, 2026 at 11:09 am
Would love the Schwartz at DC!
October 30th, 2026 at 11:18 am
ElioT Says:
October 30th, 2026 at 8:12 am
What a stupid article
Understatement of the year. Absolutely no reason to even contemplate the possibility.
October 30th, 2026 at 11:23 am
Not a far-fetched idea but we can do better. We could also do worse. I’m personally not worried about our next HC choice if Licht gets a bigger influence on the decision. If Glazers meddle with the process too much, I’m not sure based on recent history. Yes, their family went after Gruden when he was the hot commodity. But since then, we don’t get Bruce Arians without Licht. I’d recommend a Joe article on how Sean McVey could potentially be our next HC if we’re just casting seeds of ideas into the universe. Rough start for him out there this year and maybe he could use a change of scenery and a change of football admin to work with. At one point we all thought Andy Reid would never leave Philly. Nor Belichick from NE.
October 30th, 2026 at 11:42 am
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
October 30th, 2026 at 11:49 am
Pass.
I always felt Dave Canales would fail as a head coach. Why would we want to hire a proven failure?
He got far too much credit for being OC here. Coen too.
October 30th, 2026 at 12:35 pm
Multiple posters had a similar response. Yet, you read and are compelled to post, so why be a d!ck about it?
October 30th, 2026 at 12:47 pm
I thought this was a dumb idea and then I remember this is the same ownership that hired Loser Lovie as a awful nostalgia hire. I would not put it past the Glazers to fumble a new coach by hiring Canales instead of a better candidate
October 30th, 2026 at 12:58 pm
HC/OC-Josh McCown and DC-Jim Schwartz
McCown has worked wonders with Cousins, Darnold and Kyler…he’d do the same with baker
GO BUCS!!!!!
October 30th, 2026 at 1:26 pm
Schwartz wants HC position
October 30th, 2026 at 1:46 pm
Let me make a more succinct list of what has been going on, for context.
– Canales was a 1st time playcaller when he was here. Safe to say he has learned quite a bit in the last 3 years
– the Panthers are a weak team, they have had a lot of injuries, #1 CB, promising pass rusher in Scourton done for year, OL trouble starters out with blood clots etc. they have weaker depth than the Bucs and have missed on more pick. Xavier Leggette anyone?
– Coen > Canales > Bowles. This isn’t debatable. Canales is doing more with less, he just won the division last year!
Canales and a DC like Schwartz or McDermott gets better results than what we have gotten under Bowles.
Having said all that, not sure Canales is the answer. I don’t know who is the answer but the Bucs don’t just need to find coaches to maximize this roster potential, they need to sell us fans hope again! There is no hope for meaningful wins with Todd Bowles.
For that reason alone, anyone is an upgrade over Todd. A boat is a boat (9 wins) but the mystery box could be anything! (11+ wins)
October 30th, 2026 at 1:53 pm
Fire Bowles!
October 30th, 2026 at 2:09 pm
DEI hires are a terrible idea. Just pick whoever is the best candidate. Sad and wrong that the NFL pushes racist coaching and GM searches.
October 30th, 2026 at 3:32 pm
“The consensus among fans is that Bowles will be and should be launched for his five-season performance (2022-2026).”
—————–
Fallacy #1
That a “blog” known for pet narratives and trolls is in a position to speak for Bucs fans in general.
If Todd is replaced it won’t be by Canales for God’s sake but in the meantime I’m very interested in seeing how good this defense can actually be this year!
And our offense may just be turning the corner = run blocking was a thing of beauty last week. Zac may be figuring some shlt out. This week will be BIG.
Let’s go Bucs
October 30th, 2026 at 3:51 pm
OC = Atlanta reject
HC (Canalis) =Carolina reject
What’s with this obsession with NFC South? Anybody not from that star-crossed Division!
Go poach the NFC West for coaching talent.
October 30th, 2026 at 4:05 pm
This is the ownership who gave idiot Blows the keys to a superbowl team and he completely trashed it as was expected.
This ownership group is dumb enough to hire him. Ya know, cuz of money and all.
Loser ownership
Loser franchise
October 30th, 2026 at 5:54 pm
Simple.. Well said..
October 30th, 2026 at 6:07 pm
Joe you have to be laughing your ass off right not. You throw a laughable question out there about a coach that is on a hot seat himself and you got 60 responses. Maybe ask a question about changing the turf at Ray Jay stadium and see how many responses you get. Go Bucs!
October 30th, 2026 at 9:43 pm
WASFQ
October 30th, 2026 at 9:49 pm
Todd is on the job for many more years. But if he decides not to be, if you want to get a former coordinator, I’d be all for giving Mike Smith a call. He had the defense playing great in 2016 until the Dallas game, but they were good and it’s hard to win in the NFL. He was a proven winner in Atlanta and might just keep Todd’s winning formula of dual role coaching. I’d be good with that, it’s proven to work. Division titles every year except last year when the refs stole it from us.
October 31st, 2026 at 4:18 am
We should be gunning for Mike Tomlin. He is a terrible analyst on SNF and does not seem a good fit for those castaways. The Glazers need to bring Tomlin back to Tampa where he began his career in coaching. Bowles must go, regardless. Go Bucs. Go Canes. Cheers.