Current:Home > MyWashington Commanders hiring Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn as coach, AP sources say -StockSource
Washington Commanders hiring Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn as coach, AP sources say
View
Date:2025-04-18 14:26:41
The Washington Commanders have an agreement with Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn to hire him as coach, according to two people with knowledge of the decision.
The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday because the team had not yet announced the move.
Quinn, 53, spent the past three seasons running the defense for the NFC East-rival Cowboys after five-plus seasons coaching the Atlanta Falcons. Quinn coached the Falcons to a Super Bowl appearance in 2016 before being fired after an 0-5 start in 2020.
He became Washington’s choice after Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, considered a top candidate, told teams Tuesday he was staying with Detroit and the Seahawks hired Baltimore defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald.
Controlling owner Josh Harris, new general manager and head of football operations Adam Peters and Quinn give the organization a much-desired new approach after four years of Ron Rivera in charge turned out to be a disappointment. Harris was committed to splitting the personnel and coaching duties this time around.
Much like Peters with the ability to hire a new coach, Quinn now gets the chance to fill out his own staff in his second stint as an NFL head coach. It remains to be seen if Eric Bieniemy returns as offensive coordinator, though that’s not expected, and that position on defense is vacant after Rivera fired Jack Del Rio midway through this past season.
Quinn’s defense ranked fifth in the league in yards and points allowed, helping Dallas win the NFC East before losing in the first round of the playoffs. He inherits the Commanders after they went 4-13, including two blowout losses to the Cowboys.
Washington does have the second pick in the draft, more than $80 million in salary cap space and the opportunity for Peters and Quinn to handpick the next quarterback for a franchise that has not had any consistency at the position in decades.
After Johnson pulled himself out of consideration, Washington brass had to pivot to other candidates. Macdonald going to Seattle made Quinn the front-runner, and he got the job over the likes of Detroit defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and Baltimore assistant Anthony Weaver.
Quinn had also been linked to the Seahawks, for whom he worked under Pete Carroll as defensive coordinator in 2013 and 2014 before getting his first chance to run a team with Atlanta. The Falcons led 28-3 in the Super Bowl on Feb. 5, 2017, before losing to the New England Patriots.
A New Jersey native, Quinn broke into coaching by running the defensive line for William & Mary in 1994 before one year at Virginia Military Institute and five at Hofstra. He worked on staff for San Francisco, the New York Jets and Seattle from 2001-10, returned to college at Florida and went back to the Seahawks, helping them win the Super Bowl in the 2013 season.
Quinn joins an organization that hasn’t won a championship since 1992 and owns only two playoff victories over the past three decades.
Quarterback — as usual in Washington — is the biggest question, and Peters and Quinn now have a major decision to make at the most important position in football, after Sam Howell petered out in 17 games as the starter. The No. 2 pick could be an opportunity to take North Carolina’s Drake Maye, or they could decide to explore options by trade or through free agency.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
veryGood! (2)
Related
- Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
- Taylor Swift sings two break-up anthems in Zürich, and see why she wishes fans a happy July 9
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Split Peas
- Brett Favre asks appeals court to to re-ignite lawsuit against Shannon Sharpe
- What to know about Tuesday’s US House primaries to replace Matt Gaetz and Mike Waltz
- NYPD officer dies following medical episode at Bronx training facility
- Minnesota trooper accused of driving 135 mph before crash that killed teen
- Fort Campbell soldier found dead in home was stabbed nearly 70 times, autopsy shows
- Nevada attorney general revives 2020 fake electors case
- Sabrina Greenlee, mother of NFL star DeAndre Hopkins, on her journey to forgiveness after an acid attack
Ranking
- Why members of two of EPA's influential science advisory committees were let go
- Short-handed Kona public defender’s office won’t accept new drunken driving cases
- JoJo Siwa Reveals How Her Grandma Played a Part in Her Drinking Alcohol on Stage
- Beryl live updates: Heat drives Texans to sleep in cars amid outages while the North floods
- Most popular books of the week: See what topped USA TODAY's bestselling books list
- Jimmy Kimmel hosts new 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire' season: Premiere date, time, where to watch
- People are paying thousands for 'dating boot camp' with sex experts. I signed up.
- One year after hazing scandal, Northwestern and Pat Fitzgerald still dealing with fallout
Recommendation
SFO's new sensory room helps neurodivergent travelers fight flying jitters
Ex-Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist sued for wrongful death in alleged fatal collision
A city’s fine for a profane yard sign about Biden and Trump was unconstitutional, judge rules
Tour de France standings, results: Jonas Vingegaard posts emotional Stage 11 win
Friday the 13th luck? 13 past Mega Millions jackpot wins in December. See top 10 lottery prizes
Arkansas election officials reject petitions submitted for an abortion-rights ballot measure
Number of passenger complaints continue to soar at these 3 airlines
NYPD nixing ‘Courtesy, Professionalism, Respect’ slogan on new patrol cars for crime-focused motto