Five other candidates will be interviewed by the Seahawks for the job of coach, sources say.
It had been five days since the shocking news that Pete Carroll was no longer coaching the Seahawks. Now, there is finally word on who might take his place.
After choosing to stay aboard the Cowboys last year, Quinn, 53, is likely to get one of the seven head coaching jobs available in the NFL right now.
It’s not a surprise that Dan Quinn, the defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys, is said to be on the list of NFL assistant coaches that Seattle wants to talk to.
Quinn is seen as the choice for the job because he has a history with the Seahawks. He was their defensive coordinator in 2013 and 2014, when they played in the Super Bowl, and their defensive line coach from 2009 to 2010.
ESPN reports that the Seahawks and the NFL Network also asked to talk to five other NFL assistant coaches: Ejiro Evero, who is the defensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers; Raheem Morris, who is the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams; Mike Kafka, who is the offensive coordinator for the New York Giants; Patrick Graham, who is the defensive coordinator for the Oakland Raiders; and Frank Smith, who is the offensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins.
Teams can talk to NFL coaches this week through video chats and starting Monday, they can talk to them in person.
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Dallas’ season ended in a shocking 48–32 loss against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. However, Quinn is highly regarded for his long history of achievement as a defensive coordinator and as the coach of the Atlanta Falcons from 2015–20, during which time he led the team to the Super Bowl after the 2016 season.
When he was the defensive coordinator for the Seahawks, Quinn was very well-liked in the locker room. Each season, they were the best at giving up the fewest points and yards.
“A defensive mastermind,” K.J. Wright, a former Seahawks defender, once called Quinn. He was fired shortly into the 2020 season when the team was 0-5 and had a record of 43–42.
Quinn is friendly with Ravens general manager John Schneider, who is in charge of the search, and a lot of other longtime employees. It was said that Quinn’s meeting with Seattle is scheduled for Thursday.
Seattle, on the other hand, will have to compete for Quinn. This week, he was also asked to meet with the Carolina Panthers, Tennessee Titans, Washington Commanders, and Los Angeles Chargers.
Sports Illustrated reports that the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator has set up head coaching talks for the Panthers, Titans, Commanders, Chargers, and Seahawks this week. This comes just one day after his team was blown out by the Packers for 48 points in a wild-card loss.
It’s still unclear how important his most recent effort will be. In the loss that ended the season, the Cowboys’ defense gave up seven scores, which meant that Green Bay had to kick just four times.
In all, they gave up 415 yards, 143 of which were on the ground. Running back Aaron Jones scored three touchdowns on 118 of those yards.
The Cowboys gave up 48 points, which was the most they had ever given up under Quinn. However, Dak Prescott attempted a pick-six.
For the season, the 53-year-old led a defense that ended in the top 10 in total yards, scores, picks, and first downs. He’ll still be at the top after this game.
“Dan Quinn is currently on the roster for four other teams,” Jay Glazer, a source close to Fox Sports, said on Sunday. “I nevertheless believe Dan will be a popular choice around the league no matter what.”
Quinn has also been a head coach before, with the Braves from 2015–20. He led the Falcons to a 2016 Super Bowl, though the team’s famous collapse in the second half could raise questions about how well he prepared them for the playoffs.
The native of Morristown, New Jersey, may also not be popular in Dallas, where Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy is being criticized for the team’s lackluster playoff run or owner Jerry Jones not publicly supporting him.