Carolina Panthers Interview Buccaneers Assistant For Head Coach Job

Could the Buccaneers lose a vital piece of their coaching staff to a division rival?

Many different head coaching positions around the NFL have become available since the conclusion of the regular season. Some of those openings came as a big surprise while others were necessary to get a franchise moving back in the right direction.

The Carolina Panthers are in the market for a new head coach after firing Frank Reich before the conclusion of his first season. Despite fielding No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young, the Panthers finished just 2-15 and do not control their own first-round selection in 2024.

On Thursday evening, the Panthers announced they completed a virtual interview with Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator, Dave Canales. Teams can begin in-person interviews with prospective candidates on Monday, January 22.

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Canales is beginning to earn a reputation as a quarterback whisperer after his work with Geno Smith in Seattle and Baker Mayfield in Tampa Bay over the past few years. Following Russell Wilson's trade to Denver, he helped guide Smith to his best season as a pro. The veteran signal-caller completed 399/572 passes (69.8%) for 4,282 yards with 30 touchdowns to 11 interceptions. He was named to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career while also earning Comeback Player of the Year Honors.

The Buccaneers chose to hire Canales as their offensive coordinator over the offseason and he hasn't disappointed. The team is coming off an impressive playoff upset over the Philadelphia Eagles where the offense racked up 426 total yards along with scoring three touchdowns to zero turnovers.

Quarterback Baker Mayfield became the first player in franchise history to throw for over 300 yards and three scores. He's in the midst of a career year under the tutelage of Canales. Mayfield has completed 364/566 passes (64.3%) for 4,044 yards with 28 touchdowns to ten interceptions while adding 163 yards and another score.

On the season, the Buccaneers rank No. 19 in scoring offense (21.1 ppg), No. 22 in total yards (319.3), No. 16 in passing yards (228.8), No. 31 (90.4) in rushing yards per game, and No. 9 in third-down conversion percentage (41.6%).

It remains to be seen if the Panthers zero in on Canales as one of the top candidates for the job. The team has also brought in coaches such as Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith, Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken, and Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, among others, for virtual interviews.

Hopefully, this news won't create too much of a distraction for the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay continues its playoff run in Detroit on Sunday during the Divisional Round.

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READ MORE: Detroit Lions' HC Dan Campbell on Bucs' QB Baker Mayfield: "I Got A Lot of Respect For Him"

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