The Washington Commanders‘ new offensive coordinator was a popular man this week. Washington parted ways with former OC Kliff Kingsbury earlier in the week after an underwhelming 2025 campaign, putting them in the market for a new offensive coordinator themselves.
David Blough found himself as the man around town, however. The Commanders’ assistant quarterbacks coach under Kingsbury previously spent time in Detroit and Arizona during his playing career — in fact he played under Kingsbury when he was with the Cardinals. The Lions also have a vacancy at offensive coordinator and brought Blough in for an interview. Commanders HC Dan Quinn wasted no time in promoting Blough after that, not wanting him to get out of the building.
With Blough’s new job, an interview he did this summer with JP Finlay has resurfaced, and he talked a little about his relationship with Commanders QB Jayden Daniels.
“Man, we just love to compete in there,” Blough said with a smile. “We’ve kind of got the running joke now that we don’t want Jayden — one of our worst weeks of the season [in 2024], Jayden won the trash can game, so we’re happy he’s missing,” he continued, referencing a lighthearted game the Commanders quarterback room played after practices. “But yeah, we always like to compete in there, keep it light.”
Washington Commanders OC David Blough on What He’s Learned in Washington
GettyWEST LAFAYETTE, IN – OCTOBER 20: David Blough #11 of the Purdue Boilermakers throws the ball during the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ross-Ade Stadium on October 20, 2018 in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
“Yeah, I appreciate all that, of course,” Blough said on the attention he received over the summer for external coaching jobs. “But man, I am just so thankful to be here and learn from [Dan Quinn] and their vision of what a healthy quarterback room, a healthy offense is supposed to look like. So it’s cool to have connections at other places I’ve been, but this is about us being the best version of ourselves exactly where we are right now.”
“Kliff on day one to the offensive coaching staff said, ‘A good idea knows no rank.’ I know he’s said it publicly,” Blough continued. “And he truly believes that. To have the humility and to allow creativity to come from everywhere — and yeah I love expressing myself that way [in designing plays].”
“All our coaches have a gift for different areas. And yeah, creating plays, trick plays, whatever it is. Something that can help us have an edge. I think that’s something that gets you out of bed in the morning, trying to design something that might get somebody.”
Washington Commanders OC David Blough was an Excellent College Quarterback at Purdue
Before he was Washington’s offensive coordinator, Blough was a four-year starter at Purdue, totaling almost 10,000 career passing yards and over 70 passing touchdowns. With him under center, the Boilermakers reached a bowl game two seasons in a row.
As a senior, Blough threw for 3,705 yards and 25 touchdowns with a completion rate of 66 percent. He was masterful in Purdue’s home upset over No. 2 Ohio State, leading the Boilermakers to a 49-20 victory on a historic night.
David Blough’s Jayden Daniels Comments Re-Emerge After Commanders Make OC Move Official