Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn speaks to his players in the second half against the Dallas Cowboys. Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Commanders' Dan Quinn Might Be on the Hot Seat

Originally posted on Washington Commanders on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Jan 30, 2026 9:00 AM ET

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn was viewed as one of the best first-year hires in the league following his first season in the nation's capital.

However, things changed after Quinn and the Commanders struggled this past season. ESPN analyst Bill Barnwell ranked all of the hires from 2021-25 and placed Quinn at No. 10.

"What a difference a year makes. Twelve months ago, Quinn was fresh off a trip to the NFC Championship Game, having won as many playoff games in his first season with the Commanders as the franchise had claimed over the prior 30 years. Jayden Daniels' fantastic rookie campaign played a significant role, but Quinn nailed his fourth-down decision-making to help the offense blossom, and the former Falcons coach got the most out of the many veterans added to his roster by GM Adam Peters," Barnwell wrote.

"Things have changed. Daniels struggled through an injury-hit 2025, but Quinn's defense completely collapsed in Year 2. The Commanders ranked 30th in EPA per play and points allowed per drive, as they were easily stretched by any offense with a pulse. Quinn wasn't able to fix the problems during the season, and the Commanders shook things up by moving on from offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt."

Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Quinn Hire Looks Less Favorable

The coaches that ranked higher than Quinn were Jim Harbaugh of the Los Angeles Chargers, Ben Johnson of the Chicago Bears, Kevin O'Connell of the Minnesota Vikings, Sean Payton of the Denver Broncos, DeMeco Ryans of the Houston Texans, Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots, Mike Macdonald of the Seattle Seahawks, Nick Sirianni of the Philadelphia Eagles and Dan Campbell of the Detroit Lions.

Quinn will have time to turn things around, especially after injuries completely ravaged the Commanders this past season, but it's not out of the question that he is on the hot seat going into 2026.

If Quinn and the Commanders continue to struggle, it could be the end of his time in the nation's capital and Washington could be looking for a new head coach for 2027 and beyond.