The Washington Commanders are 1-3, and head coach Dan Quinn's seat is warming up fast. But firing a coach is never as easy as many fans make it sound, and the grass isn't always greener on the other side.
Especially when that other side is just another Dan Quinn.
The Commanders will have a difficult decision to make on Quinn's future after — likely not during — the 2026 season. And when they do, they can't afford to fall into the same trap that landed them in this situation to begin with.
If the Commanders fire Dan Quinn, his replacement can't be another retread like Mike Tomlin
Names are already swirling around as potential Quinn successors in Washington. And one of them is a disaster waiting to happen.
Have we learned nothing?
This caller wants the Commanders to fire Dan Quinn and hire Mike Tomlin. pic.twitter.com/cvCDbPt4vR
— 106.7 The Fan (@1067theFan) October 6, 2026
Washington's last two head coaching hires were men whom other teams had decided it was time to move on from. But where those teams saw stale fossils, the Commanders saw experienced, proven winners who would change their culture.
Results were fleeting.
Ron Rivera and Quinn both made the playoffs in their first season and did some good things to turn the vibes around. But then their charm wore off, with promises that constantly fell flat and repeated diagnoses of problems with no solutions.
Tomlin would be just the same old story.
This is a guy whose claim to fame is never having a losing season, but also not winning a playoff game since the Barack Obama administration. The Steelers eventually grew tired, and their long relationship with Tomlin ended during the offseason.
He is now working as an analyst on NBC, and Tomlin is doing a good job. But when the 2027 head-coaching cycle begins, he will be the biggest name being discussed for every opening around the league.
Commanders need a fresh, young offensive mind if Dan Quinn is no longer the guy
But from Washington's perspective, there is a problem.
Tomlin is also another defensive-minded head coach, which, in the old-school mentality of "just run fast and hit hard", doesn't work anymore. Offensive geniuses are changing the game. The Commanders need one of those.
They might be in short supply after the well has been drained, but some young gurus are still worth considering.
They might even already have one in the building in David Blough, who has shown promise through four weeks. But he needs to build on it to show he's ready to be head coach material.
If he's not the guy, then Washington needs to look around at some of the league's top offensive coordinators.
Choosing your next head coach is never as simple as hiring "not the current guy." Quinn still has a chance to save his job for at least another year with a healthy Jayden Daniels set to return this weekend against the New York Giants. But if he doesn't, the Commanders can't make a change simply for the sake of change.
Head coaching hires are long-term decisions. And Washington's answer isn't another guy who time has passed by.
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