Nothing much has gone right for the Washington Commanders this season. But according to a respected NFL insider, one critical element of the equation is preventing head coach Dan Quinn from going on the hot seat.
The Commanders were expected to be among the challengers after reaching the NFC Championship game last season. Injuries, aging players falling by the wayside, and potential breakout stars failing to take the next step have all contributed significantly to their demise. Washington has won just four games, and if Quinn cannot build momentum in the final three contests, questions will rightfully be asked.
Massive changes are coming to the playing personnel this offseason. Whether that makes his way to the coaching staff remains to be seen, but Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero from the NFL Network believe all signs are pointing to Quinn getting a third campaign to lead the charge.
Dan Quinn's job with Commanders is rightfully safe thanks to supreme locker room unity
And his ability to keep the locker room bought in is the primary reason why.
"Few teams have been more disappointing than Washington, which has fallen from 12-5 and a surprise NFC Championship Game appearance last season to 4-10 amid a rash of injuries to key players, including quarterback Jayden Daniels. But Dan Quinn has held the locker room together, owner Josh Harris believes in his head coach and all indications are Quinn will be back for a third season."Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero
This is the brotherhood and togetherness that Quinn has been preaching from the moment he got into the building. It was the catalyst that propelled the Commanders back to prominence. It's also the reason why spirits remain so high amid the constant doom and gloom.
When a coach loses the locker room, there is only one ending. There are countless examples around the league of players downing tools when they have lost the message being drilled into them. But the Commanders are still fighting hard for Quinn, which is arguably the most significant positive to take from a campaign that promised much but delivered almost nothing.
Quinn will be the first to admit that his team has not been good enough this season. If he hadn't built so many good graces last year, his future outlook would look much bleaker. But if the same happens again in 2026, all bets are off.
Hopefully, some tweaks to the strategy, an infusion of high-quality youth onto the roster, and better luck on the injury front can lead to the desired improvements. Anything less, and Quinn will have a much bigger problem this time next year.
Until then, everyone is behind him.