Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn looks on during warmups prior to the game. Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Dan Quinn deserves credit despite Commanders' losing season

Originally posted on Washington Commanders on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Dec 27, 2025 8:00 AM ET

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn isn't having the kind of season he had hoped after leading the franchise to the NFC Championship game last season.

The team has struggled to navigate injuries, but Quinn still has the Commanders fighting until the bitter end of the season. That was evident in the team's Week 17 loss against the Dallas Cowboys on Christmas Day.

"I wasn't surprised we fought back. The third downs were much better defensively in the second half. The fourths weren't to the standard that you want all game, but that was my message. That was what I wanted to get across to them," Quinn said postgame.

"Love our fight, but the execution, you know, just isn't to the standard that needs to be to win the games and give credit to Dallas [Cowboys]. Not taking away from [Dallas Cowboys QB] Dak [Prescott] and offensively any of them. They're not the point. So, that's where I'm at and I wanted to kind of share some of my messages with you, with the team and where we're at.”

Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Quinn getting most out of Commanders late in the season

The Commanders don't have much to play for, but they are giving it their all against the odds. That's a sign that the coach has not lost the locker room. Commanders defensive tackle Johnny Newton added to that theory after the loss against the Cowboys.

“Oh, yeah, for sure. [Head Coach] DQ the man. DQ our guy. We believe in him, and his belief in us fuels our fire. So, it's a mutual relationship with that," Newton said.

Barring anything unforeseen, Quinn will be leading the Commanders next season and beyond. His pulse on the roster is still where it was when he first arrived in the nation's capital and that's a positive sign after so much has gone wrong this season.