The Washington Commanders are not firing head coach Dan Quinn. Not right now, anyway.
But even Quinn admitted that he knows what comes next if this free-falling franchise doesn't get on the right track.
Criticism of Quinn was more scathing than ever after an inexplicable botched final sequence to tie with the New York Giants. It was the straw that broke the camel's back for many, stemming from almost constant frustration since the Commanders reached the conference championship game.
Dan Quinn knows pressure is building after Commanders' botched Week 5 ending
It's nowhere near good enough. Quinn knows it, and he's already had some difficult conversations with majority owner Josh Harris about where things stand and what more might be needed.
Quinn said that it is important to have those conversations, especially after what unfolded in Week 5.
Nobody is happy right now, but there are still 12 games left. Harris also isn't exactly renowned for emotional moves, if his work with his other sports franchises is any indication.
"I do know how the league goes. I'm well aware of that. Trust me, no one is pleased with this outcome and where we're at. But we do have those hard conversations, we're honest about what we're at and what we need to fix and what we need to work on. And so I like having that communication with him."
The Commanders are still confident that Quinn has the right tools to make strides. What comes next is down to the coach.
They are willing to let things play out, despite the calls from growing sections of the fan base on social media. This also spilled into the stands at Northwest Stadium after Sunday's debacle, with Quinn and general manager Adam Peters both booed off the field after a collapse of epic proportions.
Quinn wants to get everyone back onside.
Commanders' patience with Dan Quinn will only go so far
But patience will only last for so long.
Washington is now at 1-3-1 heading into a daunting trip to the San Francisco 49ers for Monday Night Football. It would be surprising if Quinn's squad wasn't 1-4-1 at the bye week, and if they get blown out at Levi's Stadium, the calls for change will be deafening over the Commanders' extended rest.
This isn't Quinn's first rodeo. He started well with the Atlanta Falcons, leading them to a Super Bowl. But a capitulation while up 28-3 against the New England Patriots began a slump that eventually led to his removal.
The same situation is unfolding in Washington.
Quinn can lean on his experience, but the disorganization that led the Commanders to botch their last play against the Giants showed how much hard work is still ahead. He knows there is a lot to clean up, and though there is a lot of blame to go around, the head coach will carry the can.
The Commanders have to start picking up positive results. After all, this is a results business at the end of the day.
Quinn got a pass for a five-win campaign last year. He never lost the locker room, and he built up more than equity in Year 1 for another bit of the apple.
But the same complications are surfacing. And though firing him immediately might be premature and not how Harris goes about his business, it remains an extremely precarious situation.
A massive effort is needed. And we'll see just how much faith the locker room has in Quinn now.
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