Dan Quinn disrespected after masterminding Commanders' instant renaissance

Dan Quinn had many skeptics when he was appointed Washington Commanders' head coach. He silenced those doubters and more during a campaign that will live long in the memory of every fan.

Quinn was the experienced leader this franchise desperately needed. While those who came before spoke about culture, the former Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator acted it into existence. The turnaround was nothing short of remarkable, with the Commanders winning 12 regular-season games en route to an NFC Championship game appearance. It was the stuff of fairytales.

The mood across the organization completely changed. Whether it was the fans, the players, the coaches, or those in the front office, everyone was working with a common goal in mind. They were re-energized, focused, and enthused. Quinn's masterful leadership and ability to inspire were big reasons why.

Players felt ten feet tall after a rousing speech from Quinn. He knows how to bring the best out of them. He knows how to trust them, and he knows how to micromanage the right way. The incredible early returns spoke for themselves.

The Commanders are in the best possible hands with Quinn leading the charge. He's set a high bar for which to aim next time around, but some outstanding additions to the playing personnel this offseason give him a fighting chance of making similar waves. But through good times or bad, this squad knows they have a strong support system in place to guide them.

Commanders head coach Dan Quinn gets shocking spot in NBC Sports' rankings

That didn't stop Patrick Daugherty of NBC Sports from disrespecting Quinn in his offseason head coach rankings. The analyst praised the work he did in Year 1 with Washington, but this wasn't enough to place him any higher than No. 13.

The Commanders made the unpopular hire and [Dan] Quinn not only thrived, he changed. Quinn is a defensive-minded head coach who realized he couldn’t make a Cinderella playoff run by establishing the run and battling for field position. So, he trusted his rookie quarterback and stopped punting. Heady new tricks for an old dog. Maybe last season was a lightning-in-a-bottle moment that’s not to be repeated, but Quinn serves as a humbling reminder that we don’t know everything on this side of the keyboard.Patrick Daugherty

Quinn should be higher. If this is a year-to-year ranking, it's a shocking place to put someone who transformed an entire franchise and got them into the final four at the first time of asking.

This doesn't matter much in the grand scheme of things. Quinn is adept at ignoring the outside noise and focusing on the task at hand. The Commanders had complete faith in his methods despite skeptics coming out of the woodwork almost immediately after the hire was confirmed. What's important now is keeping the same mindset to ensure this dream starts to become something of substance.

The Commanders were never out of a fight with Quinn. He's developed a resolve that's been seldom seen in Washington for decades. Winning respect instantly was a good place to start. This was followed by forming relationships and molding a new-look group into one of the league's playoff frontrunners.

It sounds easy, but not many could have accomplished it in such a short timeframe. That's why Quinn deserved more recognition higher up the coaching order.

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