David Blough's promotion has had mixed reactions. Some Washington Commanders fans wanted a bigger name. Some wanted fresh ideas after Kliff Kingsbury's hasty exit. However, confidence is high within the building that the former quarterback can make the best of a fantastic opportunity.
It's a gamble; there is no getting away from that. But if Blough brings his experiences elsewhere and continues to build chemistry with quarterback Jayden Daniels, this might be Washington getting ahead of the game.
How the Commanders got to this point is the big question. And one analyst wondered just how much input head coach Dan Quinn had in Blough's promotion.
Commanders analyst touts outrageous theory about hasty David Blough promotion
Tobi Altizer of 106.7 The Fan pointed to the reported meddling by general manager Adam Peters as a possible reason Quinn may not have had the final say here. And with Blough getting interest from the Detroit Lions, the head man was forced to bet his job on an unknown quantity.
"Just because other teams are interested doesn't necessarily make it the right decision. You've said no to other options by hiring David Blough this quickly. It matters what Dan Quinn's confidence level is in this. And I think the question you have to ask, with what we've heard this week: did Dan Quinn make this decision? Was Dan Quinn 60 percent of this decision? Was Dan Quinn 40 percent of this decision? How much was Dan Quinn involved in this? Became for me, the interesting part about this: Dan Quinn's job security relies on this hire. "Tobi Altizer
.@Tobi_Altizer wonders how much say Dan Quinn had in the promotion of David Blough, given recent reports. pic.twitter.com/eE4IKufUTY
— 106.7 The Fan (@1067theFan) January 10, 2026
Peters stated during his end-of-season media availability that the coaching side of things is left to Quinn. He's earned that right, but with pressure mounting and questions about his decisions throughout the campaign, it may not be that far-fetched.
Commanders fans better hope this is a theory and nothing more. Peters needs to focus on his roster revamp. Forcing coaches onto Quinn just doesn't seem smart, and he may not go for it anyway. That completely upends the dynamic. It would only fuel any supposed resentment between Washington's power couple.
All this does is detract from Blough's promise. He was highly regarded around the league, and the Commanders believe he can put the concepts in place to help Daniels thrive. It doesn't matter how Quinn or Peters got to this point. This is now about ensuring the new play-caller has the time, resources, and personnel to put his grand plans into action.
After all, this has to work. Otherwise, Quinn and Peters might be the next ones to go.