Dolphins request to interview Cowboys DC Dan Quinn for head coaching job

Dan Quinn's name has surfaced in the media a lot this week and not just because his Cowboys are set to host a playoff game.

The Dolphins requested permission to interview Quinn for their head coaching vacancy on Tuesday, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. It's the fourth such request for Quinn thus far, as he's also been requested to speak with the Jaguars, Bears and Broncos.

Quinn is in his first season as the Cowboys' defensive coordinator. He joined the franchise after six years as the Falcons' head coach. He was fired following the 2020 season, finishing with a 43-42 record in Atlanta, including a Super Bowl appearance.

Under Quinn, the Cowboys defense ranked first in the NFL this season in turnovers (34) and interceptions (26) while allowing the 14th fewest yards (5,967). These numbers all come as improvements from 2020, including a big jump in allowed yardage as Dallas ranked 23rd in the league last season at 6,183.

The Dolphins job became unexpectedly vacant after former head coach Brian Flores was fired on Monday. Miami went 24-25 across three seasons under Flores, including a 10-6 finish in 2020 and a 9-8 2021 campaign that ended with a 7-1 record over the final eight weeks.

The Cowboys host the 49ers on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. EST on CBS and Nickelodeon.