Getty Dan Quinn at Dallas Cowboys practice.
A new era of football is here for the Washington Commanders and it is an exciting time for a fan base that is desperate to start winning games. A once proud franchise has made the playoffs just five times in the 2000s.
With Dan Quinn taking over, the hope and expectation is that they figure it out and start putting a better product on the field.
Quinn joins the Commanders after being the defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys. He thanked Jerry Jones, Mike McCarthy, and others in the Cowboys organization for his time with the team in a statement he released by the Commanders.
“I want to thank Jerry Jones, Stephen Jones, Coach Mike McCarthy, and the entire Dallas Cowboys organization for the past three seasons. The players, coaching staff, and everyone across the organization became family in such a short time. We have a great task ahead of us, but the ownership group, Adam, and I are lockstep in putting in the work to achieve our goal: consistently competing for Super Bowls year in and year out.”
The feelings should be mutual when it comes to his time spent in Dallas. Quinn anchored one of the best defensive teams in football during his time there, allowing just 20.2 points per game this season, ranking 9th in the NFL.
Under Quinn, the Cowboys ranked 5th in points, 7th in yards, and led the league in turnover during his three seasons.
Dan Quinn ‘Thrilled’ to Coach the Commanders
The 53-year-old Quinn has held multiple NFL positions, making his NFL coaching debut in 2001 with the San Francisco 49ers. Quinn spent most of his career in the NFL but also has college experience, most recently with the Florida Gators in 2011-2012.
He did have an opportunity to be a head coach as he coached the Atlanta Falcons from 2015 to 2020. This will be his second opportunity as a head coach and in that statement, he expressed how happy he was for this opportunity.
“I am thrilled for the opportunity to become the next head coach of such a storied franchise and fanbase,” said Quinn. “Under the leadership of Josh Harris, the ownership group, and Adam Peters, we cannot wait to help usher in a new era of Washington Commanders football. The organization has an outstanding vision, and I’m honored to be a part of what’s next.”
What Dan Quinn Brings Over From the Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys playoff struggles have been obvious under Quinn, but he also does bring intangibles from Dallas that he would not have learned in other situations.
Despite those struggles, the Cowboys are one of the best-run organizations in football and were widely regarded as a tough, hard-nosed defensive team with Dan Quinn. If he can bring that same toughness to the Washington Commanders, this defense, which ranked last in points allowed per game, will see a drastic change.
He has some work to do with his players and the rest of his staff, but if he can replicate what he did for the Cowboys, the Commanders should be in a much better spot in 2024 and beyond.