The Washington Commanders caused a stir by parting ways with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. They caused an even bigger stir with his replacement.
Head coach Dan Quinn went through the motions with two outside hires, but it's clear that there was always one guy in mind. The Commanders promoted David Blough to the play-caller role, which represents a significant gamble on someone who hadn't even been a position coach until Tavita Pritchard left for Stanford this season.
Blough is respected. He's highly thought of in the building and around the league. Quinn let Matt LaFleur and Mike McDaniel slip through the net during his time with the Atlanta Falcons. He wasn't prepared to let the same happen again.
Commanders analyst outlines surprise at David Blough's promotion to offensive coordinator
It's a make-or-break move with significant ramifications attached. Mark Bullock, previously of The Athletic and now covering the team independently, highlighted the potential risks. He also hinted that if it doesn't work out, Quinn's seat will go from warm to melting in the blink of an eye.
"They must REALLY think highly of him. Know he’s highly rated around the league, played/worked under Ben Johnson, KOC, Kingsbury. But handing the keys to the development of Jayden Daniels to a guy that hasn’t even been a full position coach, let alone called plays, is risky. Really surprised Quinn went for this. Thought he’d go for more experience in crucial year 3. Incredibly bold move. Could be a stroke of genius, could easily go other way. Hope we’re not sat here in a year going “why the hell did you hire a 30-year old assistant QB coach as OC??”"Mark Bullock
This notion is echoed across the fan base. Quinn deserves credit for being bold, trusting his gut, and making the move needed to ensure Blough sticks around. But if it all goes horribly wrong, he'll probably be looking for employment either during or after the 2026 campaign.
If it turns out to be a masterstroke, the Commanders will be in a much better place. But in this scenario, Blough might surge into consideration for the head coaching job much sooner than expected. That's the best-case scenario, in all honesty, but there are a lot of unknowns attached to this hire right now.
Blough has never called plays before. He was only a position coach for a few weeks on an interim basis. He's got a sound offensive mind and has worked with some exceptional offensive innovators throughout his NFL journey. However, the pressure of calling the shots is a different element entirely.
Hopefully, it comes off. After all, the Commanders cannot let this lost campaign become the start of something more concerning.