49ers Linked to New Defensive Coordinator

Former Falcons head coach Dan Quinn may be back on the sidelines next season in the same role.

According to CBS Sports, several teams have already expressed interest in having Quinn joining their coaching staff in 2021.

If he doesn’t get into a head coaching role again, then league sources say Quinn “is the top defensive coordinator choice of many other coaches who may land head coaching jobs next year.”

Quinn to Seattle?

Quinn is known as one of the most respected coaches in the NFL. It’s hard not to like the guy even if he can figure out how to win.

Even Arthur Blank said it was hard to fire his given their close relationship and his players tried to keep his job safe after an 0-5 start.

But Quinn keeping close contacts with his NFL peers will soon end up in his favor.

Quinn is very well respected by his peers and universally liked as a person and coach, making him a very hot commodity after his tenure with the Falcons ended last month following another slow start.

In fact, there have been talks about Quinn potentially reuniting with two head coaches he most recently worked with. Quinn is still very close to Seattle head coach Pete Carroll, whose defense has been inconsistent this season, which means coaching changes could be coming for the Seahawks next season.

Ex-Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley is currently with the Chargers staff who is under fire after consistently blowing games late, is rumored to also possibly join Carroll.

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Quinn to 49ers?

When 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan was his offensive coordinator on that Falcons staff, Quinn had his greatest success.

Atlanta reached a Super Bowl and Matt Ryan was crowned MVP, the first for a player in Falcons’ franchise history.

Shanahan and Quinn remain close as well. Also, 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh was a finalist for head coaching opportunities a year ago and stands to be a top candidate for a head coaching position again in 2021, sources told CBS Sports. That means the defensive coordinating position could come open to Quinn.

The 49ers defense has been plagued with injuries this season, after being a solid unit in the league in 2020 for a Super Bowl appearance.

At just 50-years-old, Quinn has coached in the NFL since 2001. He did leave for a two-season stint at Florida. Sources say he is open to a return to college as well. Well, the USC head coaching position is now vacant but no connections to Quinn yet.

Quinn’s resume so far has a record of 43-42 with the Falcons, and went 3-2 in the postseason, reaching the playoffs in 2016 and 2017. Quinn became the second coach to lead to Atlanta to the Super Bowl, but his teams just weren’t consistent enough for another and failed to match the paper.

Despite his ending in Atlanta, you can’t not be rooting for Quinn’s future success elsewhere.

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