The Washington Commanders needed as much change as possible at the lower levels of their coaching staff after last season's wildly disappointing 5-12 campaign. Both offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. have been moved on, as have many of the team's other positional assistants.
In finding their replacements, however, the Commanders didn't have to look very far. Instead of hiring from outside the organization, head coach Dan Quinn chose to promote from within for a multitude of his openings.
It's a bold strategy, and one that might not sit well with fans after how last season went. But we'll see how it goes.
Commanders are playing with fire, but there's a good reason for it
No fewer than 10 members of the Commanders' 2025 staff were promoted to higher positions this time around. The most notable name on that list is new offensive coordinator David Blough, who was the assistant quarterbacks coach for most of last year.
One notable feature of the Commanders' altered coaching staff: 10 assistants were promoted from within pic.twitter.com/TKOxMTeeOh
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) March 1, 2026
Some of the others should also ring a bell. Wes Welker was a two-time All-Pro wide receiver. William Gay was a longtime cornerback for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Jesse Madden is the grandson of the legendary John Madden, and John Pagano is the brother of former Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano.
All of them are now in Washington to chase the same goal, and Quinn doesn't want to lose them. The reason for this seems obvious: his tenure with the Atlanta Falcons was doomed by the departures of top assistants — most notably Kyle Shanahan — who went on to succeed elsewhere.
Quinn understands the importance of familiarity and continuity, especially from a player's standpoint. For instance, Blough's offensive scheme might be different from Kingsbury's, but he has already built a relationship with quarterback Jayden Daniels. That matters.
The Commanders, who have seen far too many future standout head coaches leave their building, should also embrace this philosophy. Blough and pass game coordinator David Raih, in particular, have been talked up as rising stars on the sidelines. The former was highly coveted by the Detroit Lions before Washington promoted him.
The reality of life in the NFL is that most coaching staffs face significant turnover each year. Good teams have their assistants poached by other organizations, and bad teams clean house. Washington falls into the latter category based on its 2025 efforts, but it is still an organization that must operate as if it can contend.
Taking the in-house route at so many openings after going 5-12 is a risk — one that will likely cost Quinn his own job if it doesn't work. But it could also help Washington bounce back quickly because the "new guys" are already familiar with the organization.