Dan Quinn said he would consider everything before making the desired changes. The Washington Commanders head coach knew that alterations were needed across the board. And they arrived dramatically with a mini-cull of his staff in one fell swoop.
First, it was the coordinator duo of Joe Whitt Jr. and Kliff Kingsbury. That was always the most obvious route, although the offensive play-caller's departure has left some key figures disappointed, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
Quinn wasn't done there, and his latest firing is arguably his most contentious yet.
Commanders' firing Bobby Johnson comes with more scrutiny on Dan Quinn
According to Nick Jhabvala and Dianna Russini from The Athletic, the Commanders have also made offensive line coach Bobby Johnson surplus to requirements. This was far more surprising, especially considering the protection emerged as a legitimate bright spot amid all the constant doom and gloom.
Johnson joined Quinn in 2024. Fans were skeptical after he was fired by the New York Giants, but his overall body of work was pretty encouraging. The work with first-round rookie right tackle Josh Conerly Jr. came in for praise, and getting a tune out of Chris Paul when all hope seemed lost represented another positive working in his favor.
But alas, it wasn't enough to get a reprieve. The Commanders are entering a new era, and a new offensive coordinator will likely want to bring in his own staff. That's the way of the NFL world at this time of year, and Johnson has been sacrificed.
The Commanders are taking drastic measures to get back on track. Quinn is piling additional pressure on himself, but there was simply no other option. Johnson may not be the last, either, which means things are going to look entirely different when on-field preparations for the 2026 campaign gather pace.
Johnson restored his reputation in Washington. It wasn't perfect, but the offensive line was arguably at the bottom of the team's problems throughout a campaign that promised dreams of a Super Bowl and ended with Quinn cleaning house.
It's hard to put into words just how pivotal Quinn's next moves are. Fans were anticipating some upheaval, but this is on the severe side. And if he gets these pivotal hires wrong, there will be only one person left to take the blame for the team's failings.
As for Johnson? He should get another chance quickly. And he would probably like that to be anywhere but the NFC East after a second firing in three years by clubs in the division.
Let's hope Quinn's got this one right.