Commanders could lose key coach to college head coaching job

The Washington Commanders could see one of their coaches move on for a promotion.

Jun 8, 2023; Ashburn, Virginia, USA; Washington Commanders quarterbacks coach Tavita Pritchard (M) talks to Commanders quarterback Sam Howell (14) and Commanders quarterback Jacoby Brissett (12) during day three of minicamp at OrthoVirginia Training Center at Commanders Park, held inside the training bubble due to poor air quality from Canadian wildfire smoke in Ashburn. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Washington Commanders assistant coach Tavita Pritchard was once the quarterback of the Stanford Cardinal.

Pritchard played in 31 games for Stanford from 2006-09, and while he was unable to play professionally, he has built quite a reputation as a coach.

Pritchard coached at Stanford from 2010-22, where he built a strong resume that allowed him to be hired by Ron Rivera with the Commanders in 2023. Dan Quinn kept him on staff, but he might not be able to have him for the long haul.

Sports Illustrated writer Dan Lyons listed Pritchard as one of six candidates for Stanford's head coaching job.

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Oct 18, 2008; Pasadena, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal quarterback Tavita Pritchard (14) throws a pass during 23-20 loss to the UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Pritchard back to Stanford?

"Pritchard was supplanted by Luck as Stanford's QB1 in '09. He set out on a coaching career, staying at Stanford as a graduate assistant the following year, and worked his way up the ranks, eventually becoming offensive coordinator in 2018. Pritchard left for the NFL in '23, taking the job as Commanders quarterbacks coach in '23. He was retained by new head coach Dan Quinn the following offseason, and helped Jayden Daniels put together one of the most impressive rookie seasons in NFL history in '24," Lyons writes.

"At 38, Pritchard is a coach on the rise, who will likely be in line for NFL offensive coordinator jobs assuming Daniels continues on his potential MVP trajectory. But his Stanford roots run deep, and one has to assume he'd answer the call from his alma mater."

Losing Pritchard would be a big loss for the Commanders, forcing Daniels to learn from someone new moving forward.

It's awkward timing considering the fact that the coaching carousel is usually in January, but the Commanders would have enough time to recover and find someone new.

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