Ex-Falcons coach Dan Quinn hired as Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator, source says
Former Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn has agreed to terms to become defensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys, a source said Monday.
Quinn was the only one of four known candidates to get a second interview, which happened Monday when he met face to face with coach Mike McCarthy and owner Jerry Jones.
Quinn interviewed virtually with the Cowboys on Saturday.
The team held virtual interviews with Falcons defensive passing game coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. and Carolina Panthers defensive passing game coordinator Jason Simmons on Sunday.
Cowboys senior defensive assistant George Edwards interviewed for the job on Monday morning.
Because the Cowboys interviewed Whitt Jr. and Simmons, they were able to move forward with the hiring of Quinn because they satisfied the NFL’s updated Rooney Rule. It requires them to interview at least one minority candidate from outside their organization for any vacant offensive, defensive or special teams coordinator job.
The position was vacated following the firing of Mike Nolan on Friday after one of the worst defensive seasons in Cowboys history.
Nolan was one of McCarthy’s first hires when he took over for Jason Garrett as the ninth coach in Cowboys history.
Nolan switched from the 4-3 scheme to a multiple 3-4 scheme and had disastrous results, especially with no opportunity to put in the new techniques in the offseason due to COVID-19 shutdown across the league.
The Cowboys allowed the most points (473) in franchise history and gave up the second most yards and rushing yards.
The effort was also marred by confusion, poor communication and finger pointing.
Quinn was fired as Falcons coach five games into the 2020 season. He had a 43-42 record in a little more than five seasons. He took Atlanta to the Super Bowl in his second season.
Quinn hiring likely means a return to the 4-3 scheme the team employed from 2013-2019 as well as Cover 3 in the secondary they used with Kris Richard in 2018-2019.
Quinn used the scheme as the Seattle Seahawks’ defensive coordinator in 2013-2014. They made back-to-back Super Bowl appearances and finished No. 1 in the NFL in yards and points allowed in both seasons.
This story was originally published January 11, 2021 at 2:23 PM.
