Cowboys to hire Dan Quinn as defensive coordinator
Dallas Cowboys are set to hire Dan Quinn as their new defensive coordinator
In the immortal words of Ron Burgundy: “Boy, that escalated quickly“. On Friday, the Dallas Cowboys fired defensive coordinator Mike Nolan after his first season in Dallas. On Monday, the team has reportedly already found his replacement.
It’s now being reported that the Cowboys have reached an agreement to hire former Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn and the team’s new defensive coordinator. Prior to his just over five-year stint as the head coach of the Falcons, Quinn spent two seasons with the Seattle Seahawks as their defensive coordinator. The Seahawks would reach the championship game both years, winning the title in 2013.
The 50-year old Quinn started his NFL career back in 2001 with the San Francisco 49ers. He worked his way up the coaching ladder with stints with both the Miami Dolphins and the New York Jets before landing his first defensive coordinator gig in the NFL with the Seahawks in 2013. Prior to his arrival in Seattle, Quinn was the defensive coordinator and defensive line coach for the University of Florida for two years.
Quinn’s presence could influence the Cowboys to finally invest in their safety position. The former coach of the Legion of Boom could look to recreate that style of defense in Dallas. And with cornerbacks Chidobe Awuzie and Jourdan Lewis, plus safety Xavier Woods all scheduled to become unrestricted free agents in March, Quinn could potentially rebuild the secondary to his liking.
With Quinn as defensive coordinator, the Seahawks fielded the NFL’s top passing defense for two years in a row. And they did so employing defensive playmakers like safeties Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor, plus corners like Richard Sherman and Byron Maxwell. In fact, Thomas, who is currently a free agent, could be a potential target this summer for a possible reunion with this former DC.
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Under Dan Quinn as head coach, the Atlanta Falcons also made a Super Bowl run. In 2016, the ATL posted an 11-5 record and faced the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI. The Falcons were infamously up 28-9 heading into the final quarter before allowing the Pats to score 19 unanswered points and losing in the title game. Quinn was fired last year after Atlanta started the season 0-5.