Cowboys' Dan Quinn nightmare could become reality after Brandon Staley firing

It’s remarkable that the Dallas Cowboys have managed to retain defensive coordinator Dan Quinn for three seasons.

Many Cowboys fans thought he was a goner after the 2021 season, when Dallas led the NFL in takeaways and produced two All-Pros in Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs, and a Pro Bowler in DeMarcus Lawrence.

The defense itself ranked seventh in points allowed and third in opponent passer rating, but 19th in yards per game and 16th in rushing defense. Then came 2022 and the Cowboys budding defense morphed into a juggernaut. Quinn's fingerprints were all over that leap.

They once again led the league in takeaways, ranked fifth in points allowed, 12th in yards, and tied for third in sacks. With the Cowboys defense turning in another strong season in 2023, it stands to reason that Quinn will get more head coach interviews this off-season.

Well, you can already add one team to the list after the Chargers fired Brandon Staley on Friday after LA was embarrassed by the Raiders on Thursday Night Football.

Cowboys' Dan Quinn could become Chargers head coach after Brandon Staley firing

Chargers fans understandably want ownership to hire an offensive-minded head coach for QB Justin Herbert, but recent rumors have hinted at the team’s interest in Quinn, who admittedly would be a perfect fit with the Bolts.

Los Angeles has invested a lot in its defense in recent years, handing out big contract extensions to pass rushers Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack, safety Derwin James, DT Sebastian Joseph-Day, and cornerbacks Michael Davis and JC Jackson, who’s no longer with the team.

Quinn would have ample talent at his disposal, but the Chargers are projected to be $45 million over the cap next season. The new regime faces a multi-year overhaul to get back into contention. They may look to move off some of those big contracts to expedite the reboot.

Talent notwithstanding, the Chargers could use a leader of men like Quinn to rally the locker room; one that evidently quit on a big stage Thursday night. Quinn’s energy would be a fresh of breath air in LA relative to Staley’s pretentious coaching style.

The longtime DC doesn’t have a great track record as a head coach (he has a 43-42 career regular season record in five-plus seasons) but he’ll likely be in the Bolts' crosshairs once they start narrowing down candidates to replace Staley, if they haven’t already.

Whatever the case, Cowboys fans should prepare for another offseason of Quinn coaching interviews.

You can all but add the Chargers to the list.

We don't have to worry about losing Dan Quinn just yet, and there's still time to cash in on his elite defense at DraftKings. All you have to do is sign up, deposit $10 or more and then bet $5 or more on any Cowboys vs. Bills bet this weekend. You'll instantly win $150 in bonus bets, win or lose! Sign up for DraftKings today.

More Cowboys news and analysis: