DALLAS — The Dallas Cowboys are left without a defensive coordinator after Dan Quinn accepted the head coaching position for NFC East division rival Washington Commanders on Thursday.
Quinn, 53, spent the past three seasons running the defense for the Cowboys after five-plus seasons coaching the Atlanta Falcons. He coached the Falcons to a Super Bowl appearance in 2016 before being fired following an 0-5 start in 2020.
Quinn was rumored to be a leading candidate for the Seattle Seahawks's head coaching position, where he has ties dating back to when he led the "Legion of Boom" defense as their coordinator during their Super Bowl-winning season in 2013-2014, and also in the following season, during which they also reached the Super Bowl. Instead, the NFC West team hired Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald to fill its opening.
The Associated Press reported that Quinn became Washington’s choice after Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, also considered a top candidate, told teams Tuesday he was staying with Detroit.
With the vacancy on the Cowboys coaching staff, the focus now turns to who will replace Quinn to lead the Cowboys defense. Here is a look at some of the names being talked about as a possible replacement for Quinn:
Current Cowboys defensive staffers
Joe Whitt Jr.
Reports have suggested that Whitt Jr., the Cowboys' passing game coordinator, would be the favorite in terms of "hiring from within" to replace Quinn. McCarthy reportedly holds Whitt Jr. in high regard, which makes him a likely candidate. The only thing is ... so does Quinn. Whitt Jr. could also make a run at being hired as Quinn's defensive coordinator in Washington.
Aden Durde/Al Harris
Two other potential options for McCarthy to promote from within the Cowboys program would be secondary coach Al Harris or defensive line coach Aden Durde. As with Whitt Jr., either of these coaches could be promoted to be the Cowboys defensive coordinator, or be plucked to be part of Quinn's staff.
Harris has been the Cowboys defensive backs since 2020. Durde is more significantly linked to Quinn, having coached with him for the past six years in both Dallas and Atlanta.
Non-Cowboys candidates
Mike Vrabel
Vrabel was one of the hottest coaching candidate names in the latest head coaching carousel, but lo and behold, still remains on the market after all head coaching vacancies have been filled. Vrabel, a Super Bowl winner as a player with the Patriots, started his coaching career at his alma mater, Ohio State, before coming to the NFL with the Houston Texans. Vrabel became the Texans defensive coordinator before taking the Tennessee Titans head coaching job, where he spent six seasons and led the team to three playoff appearances.
Vrabel was fired after the Titans finished last in the AFC South with a 6-11 record.
Brandon Staley
Before becoming the Los Angeles Chargers head coach, Staley served as defensive coordinator for the Rams on Sean McVay's staff. Staley's Rams defense finished 1st in points and total yards allowed, which propelled him into his Chargers head coaching gig.
Staley is reportedly interviewing with the Rams for their open defensive coordinator position, however, after Raheem Morris was hired as Atlanta's head coach. Staley's history with the Rams staff makes more sense for him to potentially land there rather than in North Texas.
Mike Zimmer
Zimmer actually has former ties to the Cowboys organization, spending five years as a defensive assistant and another seven years as defensive coordinator for Dallas from 1994 to 2006. He was also the Minnesota Vikings head coach from 2014 to 2021, so there are loose ties to McCarthy through their many battles in the NFC North when McCarthy was the Green Bay Packers head coach.
WFAA confirmed with Cowboys sources that Zimmer would be meeting for the defensive coordinator position.
Ron Rivera
Boy, wouldn't this make for a fun headline. Dallas and Washington execute a coaching swap, in essence. Rivera cut his teeth as a defensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears and San Diego Chargers before becoming the Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders head coach.
Rivera interviewed for the Cowboys head coaching job in 2007, but ownership decided to hire Wade Phillips at the time instead. Now, he reportedly has an interview for the open defensive coordinator job on McCarthy's staff.
Bill Belichick
Speaking of headlines, how about securing the greatest coach of all-time for a coordinator position?! It seems pretty farfetched that a coach with the resume of Belichick would be willing to accept anything less than a head coaching position ... anywhere.
Belichick lies 15 wins short of the all-time NFL wins record, so it's safe to assume he would like to chase that instead of serving as a defensive coordinator.
It is Dallas, though, and Jerry Jones does love a good headline. And when asked about the prospect of hiring Belichick, in true Jerry fashion, he left the door wide open.
“I know him personally and I like him,” Jones told Yahoo Sports at the Senior Bowl. “There’s no doubt in my mind we could work together. None. None.”
If anything, Jones' comments sparks speculation that McCarthy could be on the hot seat in the final year of his contract. Again, this option is a longshot, but crazier things have happened, and as Cowboys fans know, never discount Jerry doing whatever he can to try and make a splash.
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