NFC Coaching Rumors: Buccaneers, Cowboys, Falcons, Panthers, Saints

Buccaneers

• ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes Buccaneers HC Todd Bowles should be safe, with a win against the Panthers locking up an NFC South title for Tampa Bay.
• Even if the Bucs lose, Fowler thinks Bowles has done enough this season to hold onto his job for another season, with Tampa Bay already exceeding relatively low expectations in 2023. 
• NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo believes Bowles has already done enough to justify the Bucs bringing him back in 2024. He adds a win against the Panthers and a playoff berth would make OC Dave Canales a sneaky head coaching candidate this year. 
• He adds he doesn’t expect Canales to land a head coaching job but he does expect him to draw interview requests and set himself up well for next year’s hiring cycle. Garafolo also points out Canales would satisfy the NFL’s Rooney Rule requirement as a minority candidate. 

Cowboys

• ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler write there’s still persistent outside speculation about Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy‘s job status if Dallas flops in the playoffs again. However, they note nothing is coming from the building that suggests he’s in danger. 

Falcons

• Despite the buzz about Falcons HC Arthur Smith‘s job security, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has gotten the sense from his sources that Atlanta would prefer not to move on from Smith. How he finishes out the season could be relevant. 
• NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo reports that out of the three remaining NFC South coaches, Smith is on “the shakiest of grounds.” If they don’t play well in the final game, it could be curtains for Smith. 

Panthers

• An NFL executive tells ESPN’s David Newton that Panthers owner Dave Tepper‘s drink-throwing incident won’t help his image problems in the NFL or the idea that a prospective head coaching candidate will want to find a less volatile owner to work for. 
• ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes a lot of league sources expect the Panthers to fire GM Scott Fitterer at some point, even though he and Tepper have a good working relationship. 
• He adds the timing is up in the air and Carolina could hire a new head coach before deciding on the general manager. There are several in-house candidates for the job too, including vice president of football operations Samir Suleiman, assistant GM Dan Morgan and vice president of player personnel Adrian Wilson.

Saints

• ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has not gotten the sense from anyone around the Saints that HC Dennis Allen‘s job security is up in the air. However, a blowout loss to the Falcons in the finale could change things. 
• NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo confirms he has also heard Allen should be safe for 2024.