Highlights
- New Commanders head coach Dan Quinn is enthusiastic about returning to the helm, after serving as the Dallas Cowboys’ defensive coordinator for three years.
- Quinn led the Atlanta Falcons to the Super Bowl in 2016, but was fired in 2020 after three losing seasons in a row.
- New owner Josh Harris cleaned house over the offseason after years of mediocrity, and Quinn will be tasked with turning the franchise around.
Washington Commanders’ newly appointed head coach Dan Quinn is relishing his return to a head coaching role (via Ben Standig):
I’m having a blast…It doesn’t take long to be around some of the people here to say I’m proud as hell to be their coach, just by what I’ve seen so far.
Quinn previously coached the Atlanta Falcons for six seasons, making the Super Bowl in 2016 where the New England Patriots famously overturned a 28-3 third quarter deficit to win in overtime.
He was fired in 2020, and served as defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys for the past three seasons, winning Assistant Coach of the Year in 2021 after turning around the Cowboys’ defense around from one of the worst units in the league to one that allowed the seventh-fewest points in the NFL.
The 53-year-old is now taking over a team that has failed to make the playoffs for the last three seasons, and that hasn’t had a winning season since 2016. The Commanders have consistently been one of the worst run teams in the league since previous owner Dan Snyder bought the franchise in 1999, but that may change under new owner Josh Harris.
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Quinn joins a team with a completely new front office
Harris completely cleaned house during the offseason, hiring a new head coach, new coordinators on both sides of the ball, and a new GM. Former San Francisco 49ers assistant general manager Adam Peters was named Washington’s new GM, and he’s already begun the process of replacing former executives.
Senior director of player personnel Eric Stokes was recently let go, and they’ve already hired Lance Newmark as assistant GM and Eugene Shen as senior vice president of football strategy. The Commanders were stuck in mediocrity for years under Snyder, and the new front office has already demonstrated their competence.
For the first time since Kirk Cousins left after the 2017 season, the Commanders have a quality quarterback to build around in Jayden Daniels, and the No. 2 overall pick has the potential to make this a quick rebuild in the nation’s capital. While the Commanders’ roster still needs a significant infusion of talent, their recent draft class was a good start.
|
Quinn’s Cowboys Defensive Ranks |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Category |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
|
Points/Game |
7th |
6th |
5th |
|
Yards/Game |
19th |
13th |
5th |
|
Takeaways |
1st |
1st |
T-12th |
|
Sacks |
14th |
T-3rd |
T-13th |
|
Yards/Play |
T-19th |
T-7th |
T-7th |
Other than Daniels, who was one of the most talented quarterbacks in the draft, they also added potential star defensive linemen Jer’zhan (Johnny) Newton, one of the leaders of the exceptional Michigan defense in Mike Sainristil, and two pass catchers in Ben Sinnott and Luke McCaffrey with whom Daniels can grow.
They also added several impact veterans in the offseason, including running back Austin Ekeler, tight end Zach Ertz, center Tyler Biadasz, linebacker Bobby Wagner and safety Jeremy Chinn.
While the team is certainly a few years away from consistently competing for the NFC East crown again, Quinn has joined a team that is turning a corner after years of bewilderment in the football wilderness.
Source: Ben Standig
All stats courtesy of Pro Football Reference unless stated otherwise.
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