Dan Quinn has been hired as the new head football coach of the Washington Commanders.
Quinn interviewed for an assortment of openings. He was a finalist for both the Seattle Seahawks and Washington.
Seattle went with a younger coach in Mike Macdonald. He was the defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens.
Quinn leaving for Washington allows the Cowboys to move in a new direction with their defense.
From Dallas to D.C.: the Commanders are hiring Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn as their head coach, per league sources.
Quinn and Commanders' GM Adam Peters are the two men now charged with leading Washington into the future. pic.twitter.com/G9DUdspQPK
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 1, 2024
The Cowboys defense struggled against good teams this season, so it is not the end of the world to see Quinn leave, but we can't ignore the impact he did make for most of the time in Big D.
Cowboys had two top-12 finishes in total defense. Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland made history under him.
A year ago, he decided to withdraw from all searches, choosing to return to Dallas to spend a third season working under Mike McCarthy.
The season did not end the way anyone hoped, and Quinn probably saw this opportunity as his last to land a head coaching job.
Going Forward
The Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator job should be pretty enticing. Any coach looking to take over an above-average unit with a generational player in Micah Parsons should be thrilled.
Joe Whitt is a name that Cowboys fans have heard a lot about. He would be a target to take over the Dallas defense, but I expect Quinn to bring him to Washington with him.
I wouldn't mind Whitt staying around Dallas to take over the defense. It is much better than Washington who traded both Chase Young and Montez Sweat.
I would expect Quinn to bring along secondary coach/passing game coordinator Joe Whitt to be his defensive coordinator. https://t.co/qU7rI2FYvS
— Steve Wyche (@wyche89) February 1, 2024
Mike Vrabel and Bill Belichick are two names that everyone wants, but these two coaches should have gotten a head coaching job, yet didn't.
Vrabel may settle for a defensive coordinator position with a team like Dallas. Belichick will not step down to this level.
What I do know is that whoever takes over this job, needs to buckle down and stop the run.
The Cardinals in week 3 and the Buffalo Bills in week 14 each went over 200 yards on the ground against Dallas.
They let Aaron Jones carry the ball 21 times for 118 yards and three touchdowns. It can't happen next year.
Any chance the Cowboys have of even winning the NFC would involve stopping the 49ers, Lions, Packers, and Eagles.
Every single one of those teams can run the football at an extremely high level.
Dan Quinn interviewed with five NFL clubs this HC cycle — the Seahawks and Commanders being the final vacancies remaining this week.
To the wire, he will join the Commanders, per multiple reports. #Cowboys must now make quick decisions on their defense staff.
— Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) February 1, 2024
Something noteworthy to mention is that Mike McCarthy is coaching on an expiring contract.
Would a coach want to come in and take over the defense not knowing what is going to happen to the head coach after 2024?
I think a guy like Vrebal would step in for a year and risk it because he could very well land a head coaching job in 2025.
How tough will it be for the Cowboys to hire a defensive coordinator with Mike McCarthy having no guaranteed future beyond 2024?
— Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) February 1, 2024
The Cowboys have a lot to offer on the defensive side of the ball for a coach looking to step in with a team that can compete for a championship right now.
I have one favor to ask of the Cowboys, just don't hire Ron Rivera. He is the LAST coach I want the Cowboys to hire to run the defense.
