Denver Broncos’ head coaching profile: Dan Quinn
Dan Quinn was interviewed for the Denver Broncos head coaching search last year and was passed over. Could he be hired by the team this year? Quinn is a veteran coach in the NFL who has had success as a coordinator and as a head coach.
He would be a solid option for the Denver Broncos, but I don’t think he’d be the best one of the bunch. If the team interviewed him last year for this role, they’re likely to do it again this year. I do think the Broncos will give preference to coaches who have been head coaches before, so Quinn’s name might be at or near the top of the list.
Denver Broncos head coaching profile: Dan Quinn
Quinn began his NFL coaching career in 2001 with the San Francisco 49ers as a defensive quality control coach. He then progressed to the defensive line coach from 2003-2004 with the 49ers. From 2005-2008, he was also a defensive line coach with the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets.
In 2009, the Seattle Seahawks hired him as the assistant head coach and defensive line coach. He then went back to college in 2011-2012 at Florida as the defensive coordinator and defensive line coach.
In 2013, he returned to Seattle as the defensive coordinator for two years, where the Legion of Boom hit their peak. From 2015-2020, he was head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. And in 2021 until now, he’s been the defensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys.
Quinn is obviously not an offensive mind, so that may also turn people away. In his second year as head coach of the Falcons, the team went to the Super Bowl and opened up a 28-3 lead. We all know how that finished.
He then went 10-6 in the following year and lost in the divisional round. Back to back 7-9 seasons in 2018 and 2019 and an 0-5 start in 2020 spelled the end of Dan Quinn’s time as a head coach in Atlanta.
However, the defensive turnaround he’s overseen as the coordinator in Dallas the past couple of seasons has been quite impressive to see. The unit has gone from one of the worst in 2020 to now one of the best and most savvy during Quinn’s tenure.
Given that he’s spent about 20 years in the NFL, I think his candidacy is enticing. He likely has a boatload of connections and could bring over some solid coaches to build a staff in Denver.
He’s got a 43-42 regular season record as head coach, which obviously is nothing special, but it’s important to note that many coaches perform better in their second head coaching stint than in their first. I do think Dan Quinn would be a solid hire for the team.