Dan Quinn has signed his contract to become coach of the Washington Commanders, with the final NFL team to fill a head vacancy going with a candidate with previous experience in the role.
The team announced the hiring of Quinn on Saturday after earlier in the week. The former Atlanta Falcons coach who guided the team to a Super Bowl appearance spent the past three seasons as the Dallas Cowboys鈥� defensive coordinator.
鈥淒an has rightfully earned a reputation as one of the NFL鈥檚 top defensive minds, building tough, explosive and dynamic teams that compete hard,鈥� said in a statement. 鈥淏ut most importantly, he is an incredible leader who brings out the best in his players, coaches and staff.鈥�
Washington chose Quinn after Lions offensive coordinator he鈥檇 be staying in Detroit and . With Raheem Morris 鈥� after serving as interim coach when Quinn was fired in 2020 鈥� off the board, Quinn was the only person the Commanders seriously considered who wouldn’t have been a first time head coach in the league.
said he has long admired Quinn as a great man and a great coach.
鈥淭he way his teams play, and the way the people who I respect most in this league revere him as a leader and a man, gave me conviction that he was the right person for the job,鈥� Peters said. 鈥淗is ability to connect with not only his players but all layers of every organization he has been in is a rare trait and something that strongly resonated with us.鈥�
The 53-year-old Quinn is also significantly older than the other finalists for the job. The Commanders ultimately decided that experience was valuable for a roster that could undergo wholesale changes.
鈥淭he organization has an outstanding vision, and I鈥檓 honored to be a part of what鈥檚 next,鈥� Quinn said, adding along with Harris’ ownership group and Peters he 鈥渃annot wait to help usher in a new era鈥� of Washington football.
Quinn, in a news release sent by the Commanders, also thanked Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, executive Stephen Jones and coach Mike McCarthy, saying players and staff became family in a short period of time in Dallas. Now he’s on to the NFC East-rival Commanders, taking over a team that went 4-13 and has the second pick in the draft.
鈥淲e have a great task ahead of us,鈥� Quinn said. “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.鈥�
Kliff offensive coordinator job, is considered one of the candidates for the same post on Quinn鈥檚 staff with Washington.
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