Report: Dave Canales leaving Seahawks to become Bucs offensive coordinator
SANTA CLARA, CA - JANUARY 01:Seattle Seahawks WR coach Dave Canales on the sidelines during the second half of the regular season game between the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers held January 1, 2017 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA.
Seattle Seahawks quarterbacks coach Dave Canales is reportedly leaving the team to become the new offensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Canales' departure was reported by Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network.
Canales, 41, has spent 13 years with the Seahawks as part of head coach Pete Carroll's coaching staff. He followed Carroll to the Seahawks from USC and joined the staff as a quality control coach in 2010. He spent three years in that role before being promoted to assistant quarterbacks coach in 2013. He's also served as wide receivers coach (2015-17), quarterbacks coach (2018-19, 2022), and passing game coordinator (2020-21) during his tenure in Seattle.
Canales worked closely with both Russell Wilson and Geno Smith in his various roles on Carroll's staff. Smith won NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors after throwing for 4,282 yards with 30 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in his first season as a starter since 2014.
Canales is the first departure from Carroll's coaching staff this year. However, associate head coach Sean Desai is still a candidate for the defensive coordinator job with the Denver Broncos as well.
The ties with Canales could make the Buccaneers a possible destination for Smith and Drew Lock with both set to become unrestricted free agents next month.
The Seahawks have expressed a desire to keep both Smith and Lock in Seattle. Lock is expected to seek an opportunity to start elsewhere with Smith optimistic about his chances of returning to the Seahawks.