We’re at the midpoint of the 2026 NFL season, and that means the pressure is starting to spike in more than one place. The trade deadline is closing in fast - it arrives on November 10th, shortly after Week 9 - and that can set off a chain reaction around the league.
Some teams will be hunting for help. Others will be looking to cash in.
And a few may be staring hard at the most uncomfortable move of all: changing head coaches in the middle of the season.
With that in mind, here’s a fresh look at the Week 9 head coach hot seat rankings, based on which coaches appear most likely to be moved on from before the year is over.
At No. 8 is Dave Canales of the Carolina Panthers. Carolina has gone from two straight wins to two straight losses, and the bigger picture still isn’t especially comforting.
The Panthers won the division last year, but they finished 8-9, and that kind of record usually doesn’t line up with what a team should be aiming for. Canales has gotten Bryce Young playing the best football of his career, but the Panthers still haven’t broken away from the league’s middle class.
They’re stuck in that gray area, and if they can’t put together a run and stay near .500, it’s fair to ask how long Canales can keep his job.
One spot ahead of him is Todd Bowles at No. 7.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 3-5, but they’re still hanging around in the NFC South and even have a positive point differential. So this isn’t a team that’s completely out of the picture.
Still, the results have been ugly enough over the last year-ish that the frustration is hard to ignore. Tampa Bay has done a lot of losing since the midpoint of the 2025 season, and Bowles has not exactly built the kind of long-term case that makes him feel safe.
He’s clearly a sharp defensive mind, but he may be better suited to being an elite defensive coordinator than carrying the full weight of a head coaching job.
In Other News...
Calijah Kancey Just Reminded Bucs Fans What This Defense Needs
Calijah Kancey gave the Buccaneers another reminder of why his presence matters in the middle of the defense, even when the box score does not tell the whole story. Against Atlanta, he was part of a front that helped Tampa Bay stay organized at the point of attack, with Kancey chipping in three solo tackles and one assist while doing the dirty work that often gets overlooked on a stat sheet.
What stood out was the way he helped the Bucs hold their shape against the run, taking on blockers and helping close off lanes before they could develop. Tampa Bay has plenty of reasons to value disruptive plays from its front, but Kanceys value goes beyond splash moments, and games like this are a good example of why the defense looks different when he is involved. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Rookie Ted Hurst Is Running Out Of Time To Earn Trust
Ted Hurst arrived in Tampa Bay with the kind of rookie buzz that usually comes from a strong college rsum and a promising camp, but the regular season has been a tougher proving ground. Through eight games, the Buccaneers wide receiver has flashed just enough to keep the conversation going, yet his production has been modest as he tries to carve out a bigger role in an offense that has leaned heavily on the run and sputtered at times through the air.
For a player whose calling card was supposed to be reliability on the boundary and the ability to finish contested throws, the margin for error is getting thinner. The Bucs still need answers in the passing game, and Hurst still has time to make himself part of them, but he is also running out of opportunities to show that his college promise can translate when the games count the most. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Face A Vita Vea Decision That Could Shift Fast
The Buccaneers are in a familiar spot for this time of year, still hanging around the playoff race and not acting like a team ready to strip things down at the trade deadline. Even so, defensive tackle Vita Vea has emerged as a name worth watching, with ESPNs Jeremy Fowler reporting that New York is keeping tabs on him while Tampa Bay weighs its own path forward.
Veas recent extension makes any move feel unlikely, and the Buccaneers are not planning to deal him right now. But his recent dip in performance has added a layer of intrigue to a decision that could move quickly if the next stretch of games changes the teams outlook, leaving Tampa Bay to balance present contention against the kind of long-term roster call that can reshape a defense. [Read more 🡒]