2 Commanders past head coach hiring failures recognized

The Washington Commanders have had a long history of struggling, especially in the 21st Century.

Before last season when Dan Quinn came in as the team's head coach, it was a role the franchise seemed to never be able to get right.

CBS Sports writer Cody Benjamin looked back at the top 25 worst coaching hires in the last 25 years and two former Washington coaches ended up on the list. Steve Spurrier came in at No. 20, while Jim Zorn appeared one spot later at No. 19.

Former Florida head coach Steve Spurrier is acknowledged for his recent induction into the college football hall of fame. | Cyndi Chambers / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Commanders slammed for past head coach hires

"In between prolific tenures at Florida and South Carolina, college's "Head Ball Coach" tried his hand in the NFL, inking one of the most lucrative contracts in league history," Benjamin wrote.

"He ended up forfeiting some of the lofty paychecks when he resigned after just two losing seasons in D.C., during which headlines buzzed about a testy relationship with owner Dan Snyder and an overreliance on old Gators pals. Spurrier later admitted he'd hoped the Washington gig would help him "retire to the beach and play golf a bunch," accepting some blame for the failed marriage."

Spurrier coached Washington from 2002-03, finishing with a 12-20 record. Legendary coach Joe Gibbs took over from 2004-07, but he retired after leading Washington to a second playoff berth in three years. He was replaced by Zorn, who struggled in his two years in the nation's capital.

"Zorn's primary issue may have been that he was never qualified for the job, which speaks more to organizational oversight than personal shortcomings," Benjamin wrote.

"One month after hiring Zorn as an offensive coordinator, owner Dan Snyder promoted Zorn all the way to the top post to replace the retired Joe Gibbs. Zorn surprisingly started 6-2, but most Washington fans remember him best for calling an infamous "swinging gate" trick play, in which he asked his unblocked punter to throw a critical pass."

The past has been bleak, but the Commanders hope the future is bright with Quinn at the helm.

Quinn had a promising first year with Washington, and if that was any indication as to what we can expect moving forward, the Commanders are in good hands.

Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2025 offseason.

More Washington Commanders News

• Washington Commanders bet big on rebuilt offensive line to fuel 2025 turnaround

• Commanders face big decision that could shape training camp

• Commanders fans will love the latest Jayden Daniels-Deebo Samuel update

• Commanders land in top 5 of surprising new NFL ranking