The Washington Commanders are still fighting for head coach Dan Quinn. This has reportedly bought him a little more time to turn things around after the bye week, which was always the likeliest scenario.
But does it change anything?
Quinn must have been pleased with his players' response after their inept first-half showing against the San Francisco 49ers. It would have been easy to throw in the towel, but this group still has a lot of resolve. It also shows that despite the obvious speculation outside the building, everyone is firmly behind the head coach.
Dan Quinn will get more time to turn the Commanders around, but the margin for error has gone
The Commanders have some real soul-searching to do during the bye week. Quinn has promised changes, but how they will arrive is another matter.
Benching players is one option. Tweaking the schemes is another, but Quinn has placed a lot of faith in his two rookie coordinators to run their units as they see fit.
But their heads are not on the chopping block right now.
So as long as everyone keeps showing the correct on-field commitment, Quinn shouldn't have much of a problem, at least in the short term. Anything after that is disputable, and results have to play a factor at some stage of majority owner Josh Harris' thought process.
That might not be during the season. But it'll have to be the deciding factor eventually.
NFL Network and ESPN insider Ian Rapoport acknowledged that Quinn will get time, thanks in no small part to his team's fighting qualities on Monday Night Football. There's no urgency to fire him in-season, but what comes after remains up in the air.
“The team continues fighting. Clear that they did not lose the locker room. Josh Harris does not like firing a coach midseason. It seems like based on this effort shown on the field, Dan Quinn is going to stick around for the foreseeable future. The long-term future, still a question.”
From The Insiders on @nflnetwork: #Commanders coach Dan Quinn bought more time to turn the season around thanks to his team’s play in San Francisco. But some wins do have to come. pic.twitter.com/R4f9BIHesg
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 21, 2026
Calmer heads have prevailed, with a growing section of the fan base demanding action. And the locker room culture is clearly giving Quinn more leeway than some fans believe he deserves.
Even so, this is crucial to any team. Especially one going through significant complications.
Dan Quinn's long-term future with Commanders depends on the next 11 games
Removing Quinn could do more harm than good. If the players had given up, or they were publicly throwing subtle shade at the way things are being run, it's a different story. That hasn't happened, and it's his one saving grace amid the chaos.
For now, anyway.
Harris and others in positions of power will be watching events closely. Everyone loves Quinn; it's hard not to. But sometimes, a team has to make tough decisions in pursuit of growth.
And for an ambitious organization that's won just three of its last 17 games, the current situation is completely unacceptable.
In an ideal world, Quinn will make the needed improvements, and the Commanders' fortunes will turn for the better after the bye week. That would provide encouragement and stability, which is what he'll need to avoid the axe once the campaign concludes.
Anyone who wants Quinn removed now won't get their wish. The Commanders have made that clear without saying a word.
But what comes next for Quinn is the most important thing of all.
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