Seahawks BREAKING: QB Coach Dave Canales Hired as Bucs Coordinator
Seattle Seahawks quarterback coach Dave Canales is moving down south - but moving on up, taking his first NFL offensive coordinator position after being hired on Wednesday by the Tampa Bay Bucs.will interview for the same position with an NFC South foe.
Canales is the replacement for Byron Leftwich, who was fired in January after an early playoff exit.
The 41-year old Canales, who has been an assistant under coach Pete Carroll since he arrived in Seattle in 2010, has been a trendy name this coaching cycle as an offensive coordinator prospect. He played a crucial role in Geno Smith's breakout season succeeding Russell Wilson under center, as the veteran signal-caller led the league in completion percentage and threw 30 touchdown passes while earning his first career Pro Bowl nod.
With no play-calling experience beyond the high school level, taking a chance on Canales is a roll of the dice for the Buccaneers. However, he has been involved with the game-planning process throughout his 13 seasons with the Seahawks, including serving as a pass-game coordinator under Brian Schottenheimer and Shane Waldron in 2020 and 2021.
Successfully climbing the coaching ladder from receiver coach to pass-game coordinator to quarterback coach in Seattle, Canales may be ready for the challenge of calling plays for an NFL offense for the first time.
Canales' exit is a substantial loss for Carroll's staff considering his work with Smith and Wilson in recent years. Assistant quarterback coach Kerry Joseph would likely be the top candidate to replace him, while other options outside of the organization could be considered to team up with Smith, assuming the QB re-signs or receives the franchise tag.
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