Tag: Coaching Search

Commanders to interview Cowboys DC Dan Quinn this week

One Washington legend hopes the Commanders pass on Quinn.

The Washington Commanders officially announced Adam Peters as the new general on Monday evening. On Tuesday, Washington will introduce Peters at a press conference in Ashburn.

From there, Peters and managing partner Josh Harris will be focused on finding Washington’s next head coach.

Last week, the Commanders requested permission to speak with several assistant coaches, all on playoff teams. Washington interviewed Ravens associate head coach/defensive line coach Anthony Weaver last week.

With the NFL Wild Card weekend in the books, expect to see the Commanders set up interviews with the rest of their candidates.

According to Ben Standig of The Athletic, Washington will interview Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn on Thursday.

In three seasons with the Cowboys, Quinn has done an excellent job overall, but his defense was embarrassed by the Green Bay Packers in Sunday’s 48-32  NFC Wild Card loss.

Quinn has other interviews, too, including the Panthers, Titans and Chargers. The Seattle Seahawks, where Quinn coached before he was head coach of the Atlanta Falcons for six seasons, is reportedly planning to interview him, too.

Washington legend Brian Mitchell let his feelings be known about the Commanders’ interest in Quinn.

While Quinn will be interviewed, Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is reportedly Washington’s top target.

Important offseason dates for the Commanders in 2024

The important offseason dates across the NFL.

The 2023 NFL season ended one week ago for the Washington Commanders. But the work was just beginning for Washington. Owner Josh Harris fired head coach Ron Rivera on Monday, quickly opening a search for a new head of football operations and head coach.

On Friday, news broke that the Commanders were hiring San Francisco 49ers assistant general manager Adam Peters as the franchise’s new general manager. Peters was the most coveted GM candidate available.

Harris and Peters will continue searching for a new head coach this week.

While the Commanders are in the middle of a coaching search, business in the NFL will continue. We’ve compiled a list of some of the critical offseason dates from now through May, courtesy of NFL operations.

Head coaching candidates cannot afford to wait on Commanders

Could new GM Adam Peters request permission to speak with additional head coaching candidates this week?

Time stands still for no man.

The Commanders (like all of us) are being reminded of that ageless truth again this weekend.

Washington may have Friday morning sealed the deal to hire 49ers assistant general manager Adam Peters. Yet, there is no time to take it easy and celebrate.

Other NFL head-coaching prospects were not sitting by their cell phones, idle, waiting for the Commanders to call. They cannot afford to wait, as there are only so many openings, and as usual, there are more applicants than there are openings.

For example, 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks took advantage of his team’s open bye week during this first weekend of the NFL playoffs.

Consequently, Wilks reportedly interviewed earlier Saturday with the Chargers about their head coaching job, and then later in the day, he interviewed regarding the Falcons job.

Mike MacDonald, defensive coordinator for the Ravens, was also said to have gotten in an interview with the Chargers on Saturday.

Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan also interviewed today with the Falcons concerning their head coaching position.

Meanwhile, former Washington Redskins linebacker Antonio Pierce who served this season as the Raiders interim head coach following the firing of Josh McDaniels is now considered to be the leader to become the next head coach of the Raiders. Apparently, some significant Raiders players have expressed their desire for Pierce to become the next head coach.

Could Washington expand its pool of potential head coaching candidates now that it has a GM?

Next week will be a very busy week for the Commanders new general manager as he talks with candidates to replace Ron Rivera, who was fired Monday. Yet, with all that has transpired in just this one week, doesn’t it seem like much more than only a week has passed since Rivera was fired?

Lions OC Ben Johnson is reportedly Commanders’ top choice for head coach

While Johnson may be the top target, a lot can happen.

The Washington Commanders search for a new head coach should pick up this week. Five of the seven names Washington requested permission to speak with can be interviewed this week. The Commanders interviewed Ravens associate head coach/defensive line coach Anthony Weaver last week.

It’s unknown if Washington has interviewed Baltimore defensive coordinator Mike MacDonald yet.

Here are the seven names Washington has asked for permission to interview for its vacant head coaching position:

  • Lions OC Ben Johnson
  • Lions DC Aaron Glenn
  • Rams DC Raheem Morris
  • Ravens AHC/DL coach Anthony Weaver
  • Ravens DC Mike MacDonald
  • Cowboys DC Dan Quinn
  • Texans OC Bobby Slowik

Last week, the Commanders were searching for their next general manager while also beginning their coaching search. On Friday, Washington landed its top target to run the football operations: 49ers assistant GM Adam Peters.

Johnson, Glenn, Morris and Quinn all have teams playing in Sunday’s wild-card round. Slowik and the Texans advanced to the divisional round after Saturday’s win over the Browns. The Ravens (Weaver and MacDonald) were off this week.

Many NFL insiders have pointed to Johnson, the Lions’ 36-year-old coordinator, as the favorite for Washington. Another NFL insider, Dianna Russini of The Athletic, is also hearing the Commanders are targeting Johnson as their No. 1 choice.

While Johnson may be the top target, so much can happen once the interview process moves along. What happens if Peters connects better with another coach on the list? Also, what if Peters uses his 49ers’ connections to hire Slowik?

As Russini stated, Washington will be open and flexible in its search. This is no longer Dan Snyder’s show. The interview process will matter. Something to also consider is who each of these candidates would hire on their coaching staff.

What if Johnson can land former Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale as his defensive coordinator? Or, what if Slowik could hire someone with Martindale’s credentials? Perhaps the Commanders love Raheem Morris’ leadership. Who could Morris land as a potential offensive coordinator?

This is a big week for the Commanders in their search for a new head coach, but it may be prolonged depending on what happens during Sunday’s games.

NFL insider says Cowboys DC Dan Quinn is a ‘name to watch’ for Commanders’ head coach

Dan Quinn is reportedly a strong contender to be Washington’s head coach.

The Washington Commanders have requested permission to interview at least seven assistant coaches for their vacant head coaching position. The list could grow after the Commanders hired former 49ers assistant GM Adam Peters as their new general manager.

The only name known to have interviewed with Washington thus far is Ravens associate head coach/defensive line coach Anthony Weaver. The Commanders also requested permission to interview Baltimore defensive coordinator Mike MacDonald, but it isn’t known if that meeting has occurred yet.

Washington spoke with Weaver last week because the Ravens are on a bye for this week’s wild-card round of the playoffs. The Commanders can speak to the rest of the candidates after the wild-card round this week.

One of the coaches Washington requested permission to interview is Dallas defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. Quinn, 53, made his name as a defensive line coach for multiple teams before ascending to the role of defensive coordinator of the Seattle Seahawks in 2013. After helping lead the Seahawks to a Super Bowl championship, Quinn took a head coaching position with the Atlanta Falcons.

In five-plus seasons as head coach of the Falcons, Quinn finished with a record of 43-42 before he was fired in 2020. He did guide Atlanta to a Super Bowl appearance in 2016 before the Falcons blew the largest lead in Super Bowl history and lost to the Patriots.

In 2021, Quinn became the Cowboys defensive coordinator. His defenses have been outstanding, and after each season, he’s received requests to interview for other head coaching opportunities. He’s chosen to remain in Dallas.

Will that change this time around?

According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, Quinn is a serious contender for Washington’s head coaching vacancy. While Pelissero noted that Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is believed to be atop Peters’ wish list, Quinn “is another name to watch in Washington.”

Pelissero said that Quinn’s previous head coaching experience could be valuable coming to a place where there is a first-time GM.

Could Washington hire away Mike McCarthy’s most valuable assistant? Quinn has completely transformed the Cowboys defense since arriving in 2021. Dallas is always among the league leaders in forced turnovers and sacks — areas in which Washington has struggled recently.

If the Commanders hired Quinn, the key would be who he would hire as offensive coordinator. Washington is expected to take a quarterback at No. 2 overall in the 2024 NFL draft, and that QB’s development will be a priority for the franchise.

Several potential Commanders coaches in action on wild-card weekend

You can bet new Washington GM Adam Peters is watching this week’s playoff games very closely.

Washington Commanders’ new general manager, Adam Peters, was probably watching one Saturday playoff game closely.

The Houston Texans (4th seed) were hosting the Cleveland Browns (5th seed) in the first playoff game of the 2023 NFL season.

The reason Peters was probably watching closely was to observe the offense of Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik.

The Texans offense and defense both performed well, as the Texans surprised NFL fans, not in the fact that they won on their home field, but that the game was determined by the middle of the third quarter.

Houston won the game coasting to a 45-14 romp over the Browns. For Peters, he might have preferred the Texans offense to have been the primary reason for their 45 points. However, it was the Texans defense who, in the third quarter, intercepted two Joe Flacco passes, returning them for touchdowns.

As for the Texans offense, rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud was very efficient and effective, completing 16 of his 21 passes for 274 yards and three first-half touchdown passes. The Texans led 24-14 at the half, and the defense really sealed the win with two pic-sixes in the third quarter.

Slowik has been credited with his work in structuring an offense and overseeing the development of Stroud, who last year was playing for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

So we don’t get too carried away, Slowik’s Texans only ran 44 offensive plays compared the Browns 70. Yet, might that perhaps be the case because the Texans did average an impressive 8.1 yards per play? And this was against a playoff team?

Sunday, Peters will most likely be watching closely the playoff game in Detroit between the Rams and the Lions. Remember, Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris are all said to be top head-coaching prospects in this year’s hiring cycle.

Texans’ playoff win over Browns has Commanders’ fans buzzing about Bobby Slowik

Washington fans were certainly impressed with Bobby Slowik’s offense.

At this time, one year ago, the Houston Texans held the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft. A few months later, Houston selected Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud with the No. 2 pick, and the rest, they say, is history.

On Saturday, Stroud led the Texans to a 45-14 blowout win over the Cleveland Browns in the AFC wild-card round. Stroud completed 16 of 21 passes for 274 yards and three touchdowns in the victory.

Houston made two franchise-altering moves last offseason: Tabbing then-49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans as head coach and drafting Stroud. The Texans would see Stroud quickly emerge as one of the NFL’s best young quarterbacks in 2023, passing for over 4,000 yards, 23 touchdowns and only five interceptions.

But, most importantly, Stroud and Ryans led Houston from worst to first in the AFC South. Houston won three games in 2022 and 10 in 2023.

Another critical part of Houston’s resurgence is offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik. The 36-year-old followed Ryans to Houston from San Francisco, where he served as a protege under Kyle Shanahan for several seasons. Slowik’s offense in 2023 looked a lot like Shanahan’s. And his role in Stroud’s development has made him a hot candidate for some of the head coaching vacancies around the NFL.

One of those vacancies belongs to the Washington Commanders. The Commanders, like Houston one year ago, hold the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. Washington hired Adam Peters away from the 49ers as general manager on Friday and will ramp up its search for a head coach next week. Peters obviously knows Slowik well from their shared time in San Francisco.

How strong of a contender will Slowik be in Washington’s search?

Commanders’ fans were certainly watching Saturday’s game between the Texans and Browns, wishing they had a franchise quarterback like Stroud. They were also impressed with Slowik.

 

Report: Lions OC Ben Johnson ‘firmly in play’ for Commanders head coaching job

Is Ben Johnson Washington’s top target as head coach?

The Washington Commanders hired San Francisco 49ers assistant GM Adam Peters as their new general manager on Friday. Peters was Washington’s top target throughout its search for a new GM.

Next up for the Commanders is hiring a new head coach.

Washington requested permission to speak with seven candidates earlier this week. However, the Commanders couldn’t talk with any of these coaches who had teams in this weekend’s wild-card round. Washington did request permission to interview two coaches on the Baltimore Ravens’ staff (defensive coordinator Mike MacDonald and associate head coach/defensive line coach Anthony Weaver) and have already interviewed Weaver virtually. It isn’t confirmed if the Commanders have spoken with MacDonald yet.

Washington could speak with those coaches because the Ravens are on a bye this week as the AFC’s No. 1 seed.

With Peters in place, does Washington already have a favorite to be its next head coach?

According to Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is “firmly in play.”

Like Peters in the GM search, Johnson is considered by many to be the top head coaching candidate available on this carousel.

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN offered the following on Johnson and the Commanders:

Johnson and the Lions host the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday in the NFC wild-card round, and he can officially interview virtually with teams next week.

Several teams have requested permission to interview Johnson for their vacant head coaching positions.

This search still has a long way to go, with the Commanders needing to interview several other candidates, but there certainly appears to be smoke around Johnson.

 

 

Can the Commanders next head coach break the losing cycle?

Can Washington’s next head coach produce a winner?

The Washington Commanders are moving on, looking for a new head coach soon, perhaps in the next couple of weeks.

Ron Rivera’s firing reminded all Washington fans that Rivera, in his four seasons (2020-23), did not achieve a single winning season. By not having a winning season for Washington, Rivera joined Jim Zorn, Steve Spurrier, and Marty Schottenheimer as coaches under Dan Snyder, who did not post a winning record.

Zorn (2008-09) was 12-20,  as was Spurrier (2002-03) 12-20, with Schottenheimer finishing 8-8 in his lone season in Washington (2001).

Achieving winning seasons has been difficult in Washington since Dan Snyder took over the ownership. But it has been done.

Norv Turner in Snyder’s first season (1999) led Washington to a 10-6 record and the NFC East title. But Turner did not survive the next season, being fired during an 8-8 season. It’s often forgotten that Turner had two other winning seasons prior to Snyder’s arrival. His team won in 1996 (9-7) and 1997 (8-7-1).

The next winning season in Washington was 2005 when Joe Jackson Gibbs felt so bad for the franchise’s struggles he risked his own reputation and came back to coach the Redskins for four seasons. Gibbs also added a winning season in his last NFL coaching year (2007) when Washington was 9-7 and a Wild Card team. His 2005 team was the last Washington team to win a playoff game.

Mike Shanahan’s team got hot down the stretch, winning their last seven games and finishing 10-6 in 2012. It was Shanahan’s (2010-13) only winning season in Washington, as Robert Griffin refused to run the same offense and proceeded to never develop as a pocket passer in the NFL. By 2015, Washington was attempting to trade Griffin and had no takers.

Jay Gruden (2014-19) actually had two winning seasons, while Kirk Cousins was the quarterback in Burgundy and Gold. Washington was 9-7 in 2015 and 8-7-1 in 2016. Washington has not had a winning season since Gruden was the head coach and Cousins the starting quarterback.

Finally, let the record display that Joe Gibbs (1981-92) was 124-60 under Jack Kent Cooke. Then in the playoffs Gibbs coached in 5 NFC championship games, 4 Super Bowls and won three of those Super Bowls.

Here’s to hoping the next Washington coach has a winning record.

Lions coordinators Ben Johnson, Aaron Glenn speak on interview requests

Aaron Glenn will take all of his interview requests. What about Ben Johnson?

It didn’t take long for the Washington Commanders to begin requesting permission to interview potential head coaching candidates after firing Ron Rivera Monday.

Two of the first names reported for Washington were both of the Detroit Lions coordinators: OC Ben Johnson and DC Aaron Glenn.

Johnson is considered by most to be the most wanted candidate on the coaching market for 2024. He turned down opportunities last season to return to the Lions, which only increased his stock this time around. A former quarterback at the University of North Carolina, Johnson, 37, began his NFL coaching career with the Dolphins in 2012, gradually moving up until receiving his first coordinator position with the Lions in 2022.

Johnson’s work with quarterback Jared Goff has caught the attention of everyone across the NFL.

Glenn, 51, is a former NFL first-round pick who played 15 seasons. He started his coaching career in 2014, and his first coordinator job came with the Lions in 2021.

The Lions have had a remarkable turnaround under head coach Dan Campbell, with his coordinators receiving a lot of praise for that turnaround. And when you have the type of success Detroit had this year, other teams notice.

As of Friday, five teams have requested permission to speak with Johnson. Four teams have requested permission to speak with Glenn.

On Thursday, both coaches spoke about that interest.

“It’s — it’s awesome, quite an honor,” Johnson said. “But I honestly haven’t thought about it beyond anything that’s going on this week.”

Will Johnson take each of those interviews?

“Don’t know, yeah,” he answered.

Glenn, on the other hand, will take each of his interview requests.

“Will I take them all?” he answered. “I mean, yeah.”

“Well, listen, I’m flattered by the interview requests, I really am,” Glenn said. And, man, I do not want this to sound like coach-speak, but I try to focus on the main thing for this team, for this organization, because this is a big deal for us. ”

Johnson is in more of a position to turn down interview requests. That’s not to knock Glenn, but Detroit’s offense was much more successful than the defense. And the Carolina Panthers are known to badly want Johnson — a North Carolina native.

Can the Commanders convince Johnson to come to Washington and groom a young quarterback — the No. 2 pick in the 2024 NFL draft? It could be either Caleb Williams or Drake Maye — a fellow UNC alum like Sam Howell.