Ashburn, Va. — The Washington Commanders have hired Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn as their next coach, sources tell ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Quinn replaced Ron Rivera, who was fired by new owner Josh Harris a day after the season ended. The Chiefs named Adam Peters as general manager on January 12. The moves represent the first monumental signings on the football side for Harris, who finalized his purchase of the team in July.
Quinn, 53, served as Dallas' defensive coordinator the past three seasons. The Cowboys were fifth in points and seventh in yards. Under Quinn, the Cowboys led the NFL with 93 forced turnovers.
He previously served as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons from 2015 to 2020, leading the Falcons to the Super Bowl after the 2016 season, when they led the New England Patriots 28–3 in overtime.
Atlanta had won a combined 10 games in the two seasons prior to his arrival. The Falcons went 8-8 in his first season and 29-19 in his first three. But Atlanta went 14-23 over his final two seasons. They finished 43-42 overall and 3-2 in the postseason.
Prior to his time in Atlanta, Quinn was the defensive coordinator for two seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. There, their defense ranked first in points and yards every season.
Dallas finished fifth in yards and touchdowns this season. The Cowboys have ranked in the top 10 in scoring defense in each of Quinn's three years.
Quinn will have his jobs in Washington. The Commanders finished 4-13 last season, haven't finished with a winning record since 2016 and haven't won a playoff game since the 2005 season.
But the Commanders own the No. 2 pick in the 2024 draft, where they could select their quarterback of the future, and will make five picks in the top 100. They also have nearly $70 million in cap space, with the potential to generate at least $15 million more by releasing multiple players.
