It's felt like Dan Quinn could be in his "last year' with the Dallas Cowboys basically ever since he got to the team in 2021, but the Cowboys have been able to keep Quinn around and he has been one of the team's greatest assets over the last three seasons.
Of course, the Cowboys have their sights set higher than just being a "good" team, but Quinn has really been key in turning around a defense that so desperately needed exactly what he brought to the table.
Not only has Dan Quinn been an outstanding defensive coordinator in terms of the overall chess match that is an NFL game, but he's been tremendous when it comes to growing other coaches on the defensive staff as well as player development. The Cowboys have done so well at maximizing talent on the defensive side of the ball, and Dan Quinn's coaching is a big reason for that.
Quinn's lengthy experience as a defensive play caller as well as a head coach who took the Atlanta Falcons to the Super Bowl once upon a time will certainly play into his favor. He's turned down teams in recent years, but there are expected to potentially be 10-plus vacancies around the league this offseason.
Is Quinn going to finally get an offer he can't refuse to coach another team? Will he leave Dallas in 2024? Let's look at a whopping seven teams that could try to steal him away from the Cowboys in the next month or so.
1. Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers are the most recent NFL team to create a head coaching vacancy. The Chargers fired head coach Brandon Staley after his team was beat 63-21 on Thursday night against the Las Vegas Raiders, who have an interim head coach (Antonio Pierce) and backup quarterback (Aidan O'Connell) in place.
The Chargers are going to be an intriguing team to watch all offseason as they begin their search for a new head coach. I think, personally, the Chargers job is one of the most overrated in the NFL, but the reason it's overrated is because of the presence of Justin Herbert. That's not to say that Herbert himself is overrated, or a bad player, but the rest of what the Chargers have to offer leaves a lot to be desired.
Frankly, they need a coach like Dan Quinn to come in and turn things around.
2. Las Vegas Raiders
The only AFC West team to not fire its head coach during the season within the last calendar year is also the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. Otherwise, all of the other AFC West teams have taken drastic measures to ensure they have a clean slate going forward.
And Dan Quinn could be the missing piece for the Raiders. If he can put together a staff offensively to build around what the Raiders have, potentially even rolling with Aidan O'Connell (who has been impressive) for another season, this team could experience a rather quick turnaround under a coach like Dan Quinn, who could have that defense playing at a top-10 level overnight.
3. Chicago Bears
We'll have to wait and see what happens the remainder of this season with the Chicago Bears, but they are an intriguing option for any potential future head coach. The Bears are four weeks away from having the 1st overall pick in the NFL Draft for a second consecutive year.
You've got a lot of money to spend, an aggressive GM, good draft picks, and an opportunity to get a great franchise with a proud fan base back to glory. The jury is still out on this potential job availability, however, as the Bears are quietly making an interesting playoff push.
4. Carolina Panthers
If I were a prospective NFL head coach, this is another job I might avoid if I had options. The Carolina Panthers are a disaster right now. They traded up into the 1st overall slot of last year's NFL Draft, and selected Bryce Young over CJ Stroud to be their QB of the future. So far, not so good on that one.
The Panthers don't have a very good roster right now. They have invested heavily in Bryce Young, but he's had such a poor rookie season that it's hard to think he's going to help attract a candidate like Dan Quinn.
But on the subject of teams that could try to steal him away from the Cowboys, the Panthers and owner David Tepper might be willing to throw the big bucks at Dan Quinn.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Is it possible that we could see Dan Quinn return to the NFC South in some capacity? It's not unthinkable that three teams in that division could end up making coaching changes.
That includes the Buccaneers, who could be moving on from Todd Bowles when the season is over. Of course, that might depend on how the next four weeks go, but it has certainly felt like Bowles is on the hot seat there.
The Bucs have good pieces both on offense and defense, and I think a roster that would be ready to compete relatively soon. You also have the added benefit of no state income tax in Florida for prospective free agents, and Dan Quinn would already be a pretty significant draw for this team.
6. New England Patriots
This one might seem far-fetched, but the smoke surrounding Bill Belichick potentially leaving in the 2024 offseason has got to be coming from somewhere, right?
There have been pretty persistent rumors that Belichick and the Patriots could part ways in 2024, but the right candidate would have to be available to the Pats. Of course, they could be grooming Jerod Mayo to take over for Belichick, but Dan Quinn would be an outstanding option for them as well.
Even though they've had a bad year in 2023, the Patriots have still played well defensively and could be a big draw on that side of the ball for a prospective head coach like Quinn.
7. Washington Commanders
Not that Dan Quinn will jump at the first opportunity to start going up against the Dallas Cowboys twice per year, but the Washington Commanders are under new management and could back up the Brinck's truck and offer a new head coach candidate whatever they want.
That could certainly be enticing for Dan Quinn, especially because the Commanders aren't devoid of talent right now. It would be a tough ask to jump to another team in the NFC East, however, considering how great both the Cowboys and Eagles have been lately.
Still, the Commanders -- especially with their familiarity with Quinn as an opponent -- will almost undoubtedly make a run here if they move off of Ron Rivera.