The HC Dan Quinn Discussion Thread

[HTTR]

And are any of those people arguing that our assistants are doing anything unprofessional? Or simply speculating that the 57-year old former HC who got demoted probably isn’t thrilled to lose responsibility to a 30-year old who’s been coaching for 2 years, no matter how professional he is?

That would seem to be the implication, because otherwise why bring it up?
Firings and demotions are extremely common in NFL coaching circles. I seriously doubt these guys would’ve made it as far as they did if they were thin skinned about it. Unless there were promises made and not kept behind the scenes, which we wouldn’t know about, I really don’t think these guys are pressed about it.

 

[Riggo44]

And are any of those people arguing that our assistants are doing anything unprofessional? Or simply speculating that the 57-year old former HC who got demoted probably isn’t thrilled to lose responsibility to a 30-year old who’s been coaching for 2 years, no matter how professional he is?

I never said otherwise. I simply stated an observation that it's entirely possible he's just here to help the team willing, and good lord willing, it'll all work out. It IS a possiblity, right?

 

[Conn]

I never said otherwise. I simply stated an observation that it's entirely possible he's just here to help the team willing, and good lord willing, it'll all work out. It IS a possiblity, right?

Of course. Can you find someone to quote who is arguing it can’t work out simply because it may be a weird situation?

 

[Riggo44]

Of course. Can you find someone to quote who is arguing it can’t work out simply because it may be a weird situation?

I never said anything like that. There were a lot of posts here about Lynn and Johnson having their feathers ruffled, with out much substantiation. I merely asked a question...

 

[heisenberg]

Ahh the good Ole offseason, where the semantic debates start flowing like wine because we're bored out of our minds.

 

[Riggo44]

Ahh the good Ole offseason, where the semantic debates start flowing like wine because we're bored out of our minds.

I posted the other day, and I'll reiterate: less than three weeks until we have something real to talk about

 

[SkinsNumberOne]

my opinion on whether to retain Quinn for 2027 is going to be almost solely based on what the defense does this year.

Obviously if we have another disaster of a season like last year I'll want him relieved of duties regardless and if we make the nfc championship game again like two years ago its tough to fire a coach after that but if its because our offense carries us and our defense is abysmal again I think it'd warrant some consideration.

You simply cannot have your supposed specialty suck three years in a row.

You think if we hired Macdonald and every other factor were exactly the same including personnel and injuries that our defense would be this bad?

I dont.

We wouldn't be anywhere near what Seattle is but I'd be willing to bet we'd be middle of the pack somewhere and thats as much on Quinn as it is Whitt.

Im not giving him anymore passes on it, if you cant get your side of the football up to at least competent in three years, then excuses be damned you gotta go.

Interesting take.
I just judge him as a ceo coach which is a structure I hate less than most here apparently.

He is already failing with THAT level of adjudication though, so I don't need to have issues with him at his failure to maintain a good defense.

I really don't think we have the right HC. I see some of the value, for sure, but in the key distinguishing characteristics a "CEO coach" actually needs, I think he has problems.

 

[philibusters]

I am pretty happy with Dan Quinn right now. Don't blame him for last season. I didn't like moving on from Kliff Kingsbury. To me if its not broke don't fix it.

 

[burgold]

I wonder how we grade Quinn over his tenure.

2024 was an A (A+ is reserved for Superbowl wins) for the team, but probably a B+ for Quinn. I argued in favor of him getting coach of the year in '24. The turnaround was astounding.
2025 was probably a D. I think he gets a grade on a curve from me because I don't think many coaches survive that number of injuries and that kind of decimation of entire units. You could talk me into a C. You could talk me into an F.

For him to keep his job imo, the team and coaches needs to score at least a B.

 

[method man]

I wonder how we grade Quinn over his tenure.

2024 was an A (A+ is reserved for Superbowl wins) for the team, but probably a B+ for Quinn. I argued in favor of him getting coach of the year in '24. The turnaround was astounding.
2025 was probably a D. I think he gets a grade on a curve from me because I don't think many coaches survive that number of injuries and that kind of decimation of entire units. You could talk me into a C. You could talk me into an F.

For him to keep his job imo, the team and coaches needs to score at least a B.

DQ has to get to at least 9-8 or he is out and he may still be out at 9-8 depending on how they got to that 9-8. Too many intriguing HC candidates will be available next offseason

 

[burgold]

9-8 sounds like a fair benchmark.

I can imagine an 8-9 in which both coordinators suddenly click and we end on a tear with say five or six wins in a row which might be good enough, but the reality is, he needs to win. He needs to win this year. Going from four wins to six isn't good enough because we saw what was possible just two years ago.

 

[Conn]

I am pretty happy with Dan Quinn right now. Don't blame him for last season. I didn't like moving on from Kliff Kingsbury. To me if its not broke don't fix it.

This is very level-headed, and AP owns the roster issues imo…but it’s a bit of a problem that going into year three Quinn is starting over with his two most important hires in the OC + DC, right? Whatever the reasons. That’s gotta shake the ol’ confidence a little, no?

 

[Conn]

DQ has to get to at least 9-8 or he is out and he may still be out at 9-8 depending on how they got to that 9-8. Too many intriguing HC candidates will be available next offseason

9-8 with a QB like Jayden Daniels feels like a very pathetic bar, unless AP screws him on the personnel side again, right? Which would be a different, bigger discussion.

I guess the point above from burgold that the trajectory of the new coordinators must be taken into account has merit. Ending the season on a hot streak and young foundational players breaking out, but with a mediocre record, is different than stumbling to around .500 with no clear future in place.

But either way it would feel like we wasted away a lot of Daniels’ rookie contract, and it would feel like a low bar.

 

[SkinsLife]

if either coordinator ends up bombing... Quinn is done.
Both have to hit it out of the park and the team should have 9+ wins. frankly, chances of this are pretty slim.

APs roster decisions are not made in a vacuum. I wouldn't be surprised if Quinn and coordinators have a heavy say in personnel. Its well known that Kingsbury pushed for Connerly, while Sainristil and Newton were Quinn guys. AP still bares blame for the lackluster level of roster talent after 2 years... but generally his thought process seems sound. Of course if the talent and record dont improve in the next year or two.. i dont see him outliving Quinn by much.

 

[CapsCommies]

9-8 sounds like a fair benchmark.

I can imagine an 8-9 in which both coordinators suddenly click and we end on a tear with say five or six wins in a row which might be good enough, but the reality is, he needs to win. He needs to win this year. Going from four wins to six isn't good enough because we saw what was possible just two years ago.

Ha, this was my benchmark like 10 pages ago and ended up in a back and forth with SIP about it... of course I also made the point that moving on after a 9-8 season would potentially hamper how top tier coaches view the FO/ownership. Still believe that

 

[method man]

9-8 sounds like a fair benchmark.

I can imagine an 8-9 in which both coordinators suddenly click and we end on a tear with say five or six wins in a row which might be good enough, but the reality is, he needs to win. He needs to win this year. Going from four wins to six isn't good enough because we saw what was possible just two years ago.

Not that Blank is Harris but he fired Raheem after an 8-9 season with a kickass new DC and a strong finish.

 

[method man]

9-8 with a QB like Jayden Daniels feels like a very pathetic bar, unless AP screws him on the personnel side again, right? Which would be a different, bigger discussion.

I guess the point above from burgold that the trajectory of the new coordinators must be taken into account has merit. Ending the season on a hot streak and young foundational players breaking out, but with a mediocre record, is different than stumbling to around .500 with no clear future in place.

But either way it would feel like we wasted away a lot of Daniels’ rookie contract, and it would feel like a low bar.

I actually agree 9-8 is kind of a pathetic bar with a stud QB on a rookie deal. Depends on how complacent ownership is

 

[SkinsNumberOne]

Some of you are calling 9-8 a pathetic bar but it is likely realistic for two new coordinators.

We have issues and they kept the HC. So we have to move past that. Under our circumstances is the bar too low? I don’t think so.

Zooming out, is it pathetic for year 3 coach/gm with stud qb in y1? Of course.

That is what happens with results over process. You wait for poor process to catch up and show up in results which is what DQ thinks happened. Some here disagree (those who think KK was good and it was injuries). Y1 we should have been trying to address at least some of these issues. I do think he was talking to KK about their differences (some). Not sure what he was doing with Whitt though which is ironic since it is defense.

So yeah, from a macro perspective it is pathetic. Looking at it as a year-1 situation with new coordinators, 9-8 with strong finish is reasonable because bad choices brought us here and the organization has decided that we push forward for now.

I think people who liked and disliked kk agree generally that we don’t understand how DQ evals coordinators. As in, there are issues there. y1 issues unresolved going into y2 then post y2 firings imply a very slow feedback cycle. It is why I keep harping on “results over process issues” for him - this is typically what that looks like. Hard to discern from our seats but the stink is present.

 

[skinsinparadise]

To me he has to get them into the playoffs next season. Only way I'd bring him back if otherwise is if they have an OK season with Jayden missing most of it.

They wasted the 2025 season -- Quinn and Peters. Feels like its all hands on deck to fix things for a rebound season in 2026.

It's cool, I like the sense of urgency from this regime, assuming it sticks, but I am not interested in seeing Quinn's A game land a C season.

If I am giving something everything I have to rebound from a failure and come off as meh in my comeback round at work -- its not like I am getting rewarded from an employer for that.

I think it was a no brainer to give Quinn another chance this season. I think its equally a no brainer not to give Quinn two chances to bounce back if the season goes awry. And yeah a so so season with a franchise QB is a bad season IMO.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

Bingo