Cowboys' Dan Quinn, Commanders Reportedly Agree to Contract as New Head Coach

In the second major hire of the Josh Harris era, the Washington Commanders have landed Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn as their next head coach.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the Commanders will hire Quinn to replace Ron Rivera.

This hiring came after it seemed like the Commanders missed out on their top choice. They were scheduled to interview Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson on Jan. 30, but Schefter reported the coach informed them and the Seattle Seahawks he was going to stay in Detroit.

Harris' first move came on Jan. 12 when he came to an agreement with San Francisco 49ers assistant general manager Adam Peters to take over as Commanders general manager.

It was a bit of a surprise because Martin Mayhew, who had been Washington's GM since January 2021, was still employed by the team. ESPN's John Keim reported on Wednesday that Mayhew is expected to remain with the Commanders in a role that has yet to be announced.

The Commanders' head coaching job opened on Jan. 8 when Rivera was fired after four seasons. He led the team to a 26-40-1 record with one playoff appearance during his tenure.

Rivera was in an awkward position all season because he was brought in under previous owner Dan Snyder. The new group led by Harris was approved by the other NFL owners in July.

Rather than try to upend the entire coaching staff right before the start of preseason, Harris gave Rivera an opportunity to showcase his skills during the 2023 season. Things didn't work out, as the Commanders tied the franchise record for most losses with 13.

Despite the recent lack of success in Washington, there's an argument this is one of the most desirable jobs in the league. Harris still has to prove himself as an NFL owner, but he's done a solid job with the Philadelphia 76ers since taking over in 2011.

The Commanders enter this offseason as owners of the No. 2 pick in the 2024 draft. Assuming they want to select a quarterback, they will be able to pick from at least one of Caleb Williams and Drake Maye.

In addition to being in an ideal spot to add a highly touted quarterback, the Commanders are projected to have the most cap space in the league, per Spotrac. It's going to be a process building the roster up to one that can compete for a playoff spot in the NFC, but this is the first time in years that it feels like there's a plan in place.

Quinn has been one of the most sought-after coaching candidates over the past two years, but he's elected to remain with the Cowboys until now.

It's hard to blame him since the marriage between his coaching and their roster talent has produced one of the league's best defenses for three consecutive years. They have ranked in the top seven in points allowed per game each season since 2021.

The Cowboys have had incredible success during that time with three straight playoff appearances and two NFC East titles.

In addition to his recent success in Dallas, Quinn has a good track record as an NFL head coach. He had a six-year run with the Atlanta Falcons from 2015 to '20 that included two trips to the postseason, including an appearance in Super Bowl 58.

The Commanders badly need a head coach with a strong personality, leadership skills and the ability to develop young talent.

Quinn has been successful throughout his NFL coaching career and has more than earned a second chance to lead a team.

If the Commanders can get even adequate play from their defense with Quinn steering the ship, it will make life much easier for the offense if they draft a quarterback with their top pick.