Commanders getting massive payoff from the culture shift Dan Quinn promised

Early reactions were underwhelmed when the Washington Commanders hired Dan Quinn as their head coach following the 2023 season.

Fans wanted Ben Johnson. The Commanders wanted him, too. Then, the former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator infamously turned them down while the team plane was in mid-air on the way to interview him.

Quinn was probably Plan B. He was also immediately panned as an uninspiring retread.

With Johnson, now the head coach of the Chicago Bears, set to come to town for a Monday Night Football showdown at Northwest Stadium, it seems like a good opportunity to revisit how he gave the Commanders a blessing in disguise.

Commanders are constantly inspired through Dan Quinn's leadership

After Ron Rivera's dismissal, everything surrounding the Commanders' franchise needed a reset. Thankfully, the most critical puzzle piece was already in place after Dan Snyder was ousted and Josh Harris' ownership group took the reins. But with a roster in flux, no organizational direction, and even a team name still in its infancy, there was a new identity to be built.

It was a similar situation to the one Rivera arrived in, but also much different. The 2020 offseason, when he was hired, was the same one in which the team dropped its traditional branding, and the investigation into the franchise's toxic workplace misconduct began. He served as Washington's crisis manager, a calming presence who could guide the organization through a sea of distractions.

Rivera's first season resulted in an NFC East crown and playoff appearance. His professionalism was a breath of fresh air from the "boys' club" vibes of the Jay Gruden era. Ultimately, his tenure grew lethargic and complacent, and the team straight-up quit during a 2023 campaign that was fated from early on to be his last.

With all of the off-field dysfunction now in the rearview mirror, the Commanders were overdue for a new face behind the bench. They needed a coach with passion and grit, someone who could come in and command respect — a genuine leader of men who could transform the culture and establish excellence as the standard.

Enter Quinn.

From the moment he got into the building, it was clear that this was a man who meant business. He's an old-school tone-setter, personifying the identity his team embodies: fearless, poised, and relentlessly obsessed with finding ways to improve every single day. Quinn doesn't just talk the talk about how he's going to build great things — he walks the walk.

One season and five games later, the Commanders have been to the NFC Championship game and have deep playoff aspirations once again in 2025. They're 3-2, and last week, all you heard about was how disappointing they were to only be .500 before beating the Los Angeles Chargers.

That's all a reflection of how much expectations have shifted under Quinn. Washington football is winning football, and fans want nothing less.

Now, he'll have a prime opportunity to remind the Commanders of how fortunate they are to have had his services fall into their lap after being rejected by their first choice. Johnson can draw up cute plays. Quinn can lead men.