Where does PFF rank Cowboys’ Dan Quinn amongst NFL defensive play callers?

If you have been a Dallas Cowboys fan for a while, it’s likely one of the things you were most pleased with in the 2021 season was the complete turnaround of the defense. The reason for that was because of the hard work and likability of defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.

The former Atlanta Falcons head coach turned a defense that was 28th in the league in points allowed and went 6-10 into a team that was seventh in points allowed and led the NFL in takeaways. He did that all in one year and with players who weren’t necessarily superstars before 2021.

That’s why when VP of Research and Development at Pro Football Focus, Eric Eager, put together a list of the top six defensive play callers in the NFL, Quinn was obviously on the list. The Cowboys DC landed as the No. 2 choice behind Buffalo Bills DC Leslie Frazier.

While Frazier was certainly impressive in what he was able to do in Buffalo, it’s worth remembering that Quinn was voted the NFL’s AP Assistant Coach of the Year over Frazier by a large margin. Quinn got 31 votes and Frazier was the runner-up with only four votes. It’s part of the reason Quinn was so sought after as a head coach for this upcoming season.

Cris Collinsworth brought Eager onto his podcast to discuss his top six. When asked what impressed him most about Quinn, Eager said it was that the coach “was relentless in the use of multi-faceted players.”

Cowboys DC Dan Quinn named No. 2 defensive play caller in the NFL by PFF

Eager went on to say that Quinn made a lot out of nothing. On paper, he was given a defense with very few stars. Trevon Diggs and Micah Parsons were not the household names they were today before the 2021 season began.

Perhaps what impressed Eager most was what Quinn was able to do with Jayron Kearse. The former seventh-round pick ended the year half a win above replacement and missed only four tackles in just under 1,100 snaps. Here’s more from Eager:

"Quinn, who failed as the Falcons coach at the end, spurred a great turnaround with the Dallas Cowboys, who won their division for the first time since 2018 in 2021. Everyone will look at the breakout season of second-year cornerback Trevon Diggs and the Defensive Rookie of the Year campaign for linebacker Micah Parsons, but Quinn was also able to get great seasons from previously unknown players such as Jayron Kearse, who contributed greatly to the team’s success in 2021."

Quinn has made the Cowboys a team loved for its defense, which is something fans thought they might never see again. He is clearly an excellent coach and his players absolutely love him. If the defensive coordinator can have another impressive year with the defense, he may not only be considered for other head coaching jobs in 2023, but he may even earn the Dallas head coaching job.