Giants Interview Cowboys DC Dan Quinn for Head Coaching Vacancy

Quinn is the first of the known candidates for the head coaching vacancy to meet with the Giants at their East Rutherford headquarters.

Author:
Patricia Traina
Publish date:
Jan 24, 2022 5:35 PM EST

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New York Giants

Dallas Cowboys

The Giants confirmed they have interviewed Dallas defensive coordinator Dan Quinn for their vacant head coaching position.

Quinn, a Morristown, New Jersey native, had his interview at the team's Quest Diagnostics Training Center headquarters. He met with team president John Mara, chairman Steve Tisch, senior vice president of player personnel Chris Mara, and general manager Joe Schoen. He also was able to tour the team's facilities.

Quinn is the fourth of the Giants six head-coaching candidates to interview for the job, joining Bills coordinators Brian Daboll (offense) and Leslie Frazier (defense) and Cincinnati Bengals' defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo.

New York is still scheduled to interview Patrick Graham, their defensive coordinator the last two years, and former Dolphins head coach Brian Flores at some point this week. They will also hold an in-person interview with Daboll, his second one in the process.

More on the Giants Head Coaching Search

Nov 21, 2021; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll walks to the field prior to the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Highmark Stadium.

Dec 6, 2021; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll looks on during a snow storm prior to the game against the New England Patriots at Highmark Stadium.

Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo paces the sideline before kickoff of a Week 8 NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

Jan 15, 2022; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier prior to an AFC Wild Card playoff football game against the New England Patriots at Highmark Stadium.

New York Giants defensive coordinator Patrick Graham walks off the field after the Giants lose to the Dallas Cowboys, 21-6, on Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021, in East Rutherford.

Jan 9, 2022; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores watches from the sideline during the second quarter against the New England Patriots at Hard Rock Stadium.

Giants Interview Bills OC Brian Daboll for Head Coaching Vacancy

Quinn was the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, a team he took to Super Bowl LI in 2016, losing to the Patriots. Quinn, who headed the Falcons from 2015 until five games into 2020, would finish 43-42 regular-season record plus a 3-2 mark in two postseason appearances with the Falcons.

He was fired after Atlanta fell to 0-5 to start the 2020 season but found new life with the Cowboys, who were looking to rebuild a historically bad 2020 defense that had allowed a franchise-high 473 points.

The Cowboys, who won the NFC East with a 12-5 record, allowed 21.1 points a game, the NFL's seventh-lowest figure. The Cowboys were second in third-down defense, allowing conversions on 34.1% of their opportunities (76 of 223). They also had league-high totals of 34 takeaways and 26 interceptions, significant improvements after posting 23 takeaways and ten picks in 2020.

Before his stint in Atlanta, Quinn was the Seahawks defensive coordinator in 2013-2014, when the team made consecutive Super Bowl appearances, winning once. Over those two seasons, his defense led the NFL by allowing the lowest per-game averages in total yards (270.4), passing yards (178.8), and points (15.2) while limiting opposing offenses to just 91.6 rushing yards-per-game.

He also held earlier posts as the Seahawks' assistant head coach/defensive line coach under Jim Mora starting in 2009, before leaving or a college job with the University of Florida in 2011, only to return to the Seahawks after the 2012 season.