TAMPA, Fla. — Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales will be the next head coach of the Carolina Panthers.

Canales, 42, spent one season calling plays for the Bucs and new quarterback Baker Mayfield.

What You Need To Know

  • Bucs OC Dave Canales to take Carolina head coach job 

  • Canales, 42, spent one season calling plays for the Bucs and new quarterback Baker Mayfield

  • In Canales' offense, Mayfield had bounce-back season as Bucs won NFC South and advanced to divisional round of playoffs

In his first season as an offensive coordinator, Canales, a long-time assistant with Seattle, helped the Bucs win the NFC South and advance to the divisional playoffs.

Mayfield enjoyed a rebound season in Canales’ offense, throwing for more than 4,000 yards and 28 touchdowns. Mayfield is a candidate for NFL Comeback Player of the Year.

Canales has informed the Buccaneers that he is taking the job, although there are still details that need to be finalized before the move is announced, according to the people who spoke to The Associated Press on Thursday on condition of anonymity.

Canales will join the Panthers' newly promoted general manager and president of football operations Dan Morgan, the NFL reports. He will be the seventh head coach since Tepper took over as owner in 2018. 

Canales inherits a Panthers team that went 2-15 last season and does not have a first-round draft pick in 2024.