Commanders firing defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. comes as no surprise

The Washington Commanders are cleaning house when it comes to the team's coordinators.

After offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and the team mutually agreed to part ways, the organization has also fired defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr.

Can confirm the Commanders are moving on from both coordinators Kliff Kingsbury and Joe Whitt Jr.

Source says Dan Quinn met with Kingsbury this morning to discuss the future of the offense, and after those conversations, the two sides agreed to part ways.
— David Harrison (@DHarrison82) January 6, 2026

Whitt fired as defensive coordinator

The Commanders' defense regressed in 2025, becoming one of the worst units in the league. The Commanders allowed the most yards in the NFL with 6,533.

They also ranked sixth in points allowed behind the Tennessee Titans, Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, and Dallas Cowboys. The Commanders also yanked Whitt's play-calling duties in the middle of the season, which signaled the beginning of the end of his time in the nation's capital.

“Oh, relationship’s the same. He has a job to do. We all have jobs to do,” Whitt said when he was demoted from play-calling duties on defense.

“What we’ve done this week is very similar to how we operated in Dallas and so we’re very comfortable with that. The only difference is he was in the box with me when he called it, and so he’ll be on the field, so that’ll be a little different. We did that one time and we played New Orleans when Mike McCarthy got COVID, so we were in separate places from that standpoint, but other than that, we’re working it very similar than what we did in Dallas.”

Even though it was a likely decision for the Commanders, it was also a difficult one. Whitt and Quinn go back many years, and it's unfortunate that the setup couldn't work out for the both of them.

“Well, the thing is our relationship is a special one. There’s very few people in coaching that I’m closer to, but I understood it,” Whitt said.

“We had a conversation that night after the game and so I understood it and I expected it and so it was what it was. When he came and sat down and talked to me, I knew what the conversation was going to be. I have no ill will to anybody, man. It is about winning. That’s what it’s about.”

Now, the Commanders will look far and wide to find their next defensive coordinator, who will be tasked with turning around the unit in hopes of returning to the playoffs in 2026. The search for Whitt's replacement should begin immediately, along with the offensive coordinator hiring search.

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