Colts' 2023 Head Coach Candidate: Dan Quinn
The Indianapolis Colts enter the 2023 NFL offseason in need of a new head coach. Former Head Coach Frank Reich did an admirable job in his 4.5 years with the team, leading the Colts to a 40-33-1 record despite having to work with a new starting quarterback every season.
Ultimately, it came time to move on from Reich as the team stagnated and hit a wall under the him in recent seasons. While the Colts may not be the greatest destination across the league, they should be able to generate a decent amount of interest for one of the 32 most coveted positions in the sport.
In this series, I will dive into a handful of the coaching candidates that the Colts could/should interview during their search and break down their background/qualifications for the job. Next up, is Dallas Cowboys' Defensive Coordinator Dan Quinn.
Background in the Football
Dan Quinn attended Salisbury University as a defensive lineman/track star back in 1989. He played all four years there, making into the school's Hall of Fame. His football career did end after he graduated in 1993, as he landed his first coaching job in Fall of 1994.
Coaching Qualifications
Quinn began his long football coaching career as the defensive line coach at William & Mary in 1994. He bounced around at the college level for the next seven years, making stops at VMI (1995) and at Hofstra (1996-2000). He finally made the jump to the NFL in 2001 with the San Francisco 49ers.
Quinn joined the 49ers' staff under Head Coach Steve Mariucci as a defensive quality control coach. He was promoted in 2003, under new Head Coach Dennis Erickson, to defensive line coach and held that job until the 2004 season. He joined Nick Saban's staff in Miami the following year in 2005 and stayed on as the DL coach until the end of the 2006 season.
Quinn once again moved after the 2006 season, this time taking the DL coach job with the New York Jets under Eric Mangini. He served in that role for two seasons before heading out to Seattle to work under Jim Mora. He served as the Assistant Head Coach/DL coach under Mora, and held onto that role when Pete Carroll came into town the following season.
He briefly stepped away from the Seahawks in 2011, as he was named as the Florida Gators' defensive coordinator for the 2011 and 2012 seasons. Quinn then returned to Seattle to replace Gus Bradley as the team's defensive coordinator. This move immediately paid dividends, as Quinn's Seahawks won the Super Bowl in 2013.
Quinn stayed in that role for another year in 2014 before being named the Head Coach of the Atlanta Falcons in 2015. Quinn built a superstar staff early on in Atlanta, which featured coaches such as Kyle Shanahan, Matt LaFleur, Mike McDaniel, and Raheem Morris.
This elite staff turned into early success in Quinn's head coach tenure, as he boasted a 29-19 record through his first three seasons with the team. He took the 2016 Falcons to the Super Bowl, where they fell just short of the New England Patriots in overtime. Once his elite coaching staff began to get poached away, Quinn's tenure began to plummet.
Quinn would go on to get fired after an 0-5 start to the 2020 season. He finished his first head coaching stint with an overall record of just 43-42. Following this firing, Quinn was able to pick back up as the defensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys in 2021. He took over what was once, one of, the worst defenses in the league and turned them into a truly dominant unit.
The 2021 Cowboys' defense finished 7th in total points allowed and 19th in total yards allowed. They followed that up in 2022 by being 6th in total points allowed and 16th in total yards allowed. Across two seasons with the Cowboys, Quinn's defense has forced the most turnovers in the league (67).
Potential Staff Connections
Quinn has been coaching around the NFL since 2001, so his connections are fairly impressive compared to other candidates in this series. Still, here are a few that could make sense for him. The * marks coaches that he'd likely look to bring with him as coordinators.
Offensive Coordinator
Dave Canales, Seattle Seahawks QB Coach: WR coach for the Seattle Seahawks from 2010-2017.
Darrell Bevell, Miami Dolphins QB Coach: Offensive coordinator with the Seattle Seahawks from 2011-2017.
Justin Outten*, Denver Broncos Offensive Coordinator: Offensive analyst for the Atlanta Falcons from 2017-2018.
Brian Shottenheimer*, Dallas Cowboys Consultant: Served in same role this past season for the Cowboys.
Defensive Coordinator
Gus Bradley*, Indianapolis Colts Defensive Coordinator: Defensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks from 2009-2012.
Kris Richard, New Orleans Saints Co-Defensive Coordinator: DB coach for the Seattle Seahawks from 2012-2014.
Richard Smith, Indianapolis Colts LB Coach: LB coach with the San Francisco 49ers from 1997-2002, Defensive coordinator with Atlanta Falcons from 2015-2016.
Marquand Manuel, New York Jets Safeties Coach: Defensive coordinator with the Atlanta Falcons from 2017-2018.
Joe Whitt Jr*, Dallas Cowboys Passing Game Coordinator: Passing game coordinator for the Falcons/Cowboys from 2020-2022.
The Bottom Line
Dan Quinn is a retread head coaching option that has built up a lot of relationships in his time in the league. He has worked alongside some of the best coaches in the league, including Pete Carroll and Kyle Shanahan.
While Quinn may be an uninspiring option for Colts' fans, he is more that qualified for the job.
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