NFL Trade Rumors
Commanders HC Dan Quinn announced on Monday he will be taking defensive coordinator duties over from DC Joe Whitt, per JP Finlay.
Via Ben Standig, Quinn said Whitt would remain on staff and help him build the game plan during the week. On gamedays, Whitt will move to the coaching booth while Quinn calls defensive plays from the sideline, per Finlay.
Washington’s defense has fallen apart this year and Quinn’s moving to try and stem the bleeding as the losses have piled up.
Quinn, 55, got his start in the NFL in 2001 with the 49ers as a defensive quality control coach before being promoted to defensive line coach. He spent time with the Dolphins, Jets, and Seahawks in the same position before being promoted to defensive coordinator in Seattle in 2013.
Quinn was hired by the Falcons as their head coach in 2015. He helped guide the team to a Super Bowl appearance in his second year in 2016. However, he was let go following the 2020 season.
The Cowboys hired Quinn as their defensive coordinator and Dallas’ defense immediately became one of the NFL’s best. After three years in the role, he got another head coaching job with the Washington Commanders.
As the Falcons’ head coach, Quinn led the team to a record of 43-42 (50.5 percent) over the course of six seasons, which includes two playoff appearances.
In two years in Washington, Quinn is 15-12 with a playoff appearance and a 2-1 record. Overall, Quinn is 58-54 (0.518 percent) with three playoff appearances, a 5-3 record and an appearance in the Super Bowl.
Whitt, 47, began his coaching career at Auburn back in 2000 as an assistant-receivers coach. From there, he worked for the Citadel and Louisville before taking his first NFL coaching job with the Falcons in 2007.
After one season in Atlanta, the Packers hired Whitt as their defensive quality control coach for the 2008 season before promoting him to cornerbacks coach in 2009. He eventually worked his way up to defensive passing-game coordinator in 2018.
However, the Packers elected to part ways with Whitt shortly after they hired Matt LaFleur as their new head coach. He joined the Browns in 2019 before the Falcons hired him as defensive passing game coordinator in 2020.
The Cowboys hired Whitt as their secondary coach/defensive passing game coordinator in 2021. He followed Dan Quinn to Washington as DC in 2024.
In 2025, the Commanders rank No. 32 in total defense and No. 31 in scoring defense while ranking No. 32 against the pass and No. 29 against the run.
We’ll have more on the Commanders as the news is available.
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