Dan Quinn was the toast of the town just one year ago.
The Washington Commanders were in the midst of a sensational first campaign under his leadership, which eventually ended in the NFC Championship game. Although losing to the Philadelphia Eagles was disappointing, fans were confident this was merely the start of a new, prosperous period in franchise history.
But this is the NFL, where nothing is guaranteed. And just 12 months later, fans are witnessing the end of Quinn's Commanders as we know them.
Dan Quinn is making the required changes to turn the Commanders around
There is no getting away from it; the Commanders had a cataclysmic campaign. They finished 5-12. Injuries decimated their chances of being competitive. Something felt off right from the outset, and even though Quinn never lost the locker room, some of his decisions were questionable at best.
Quinn wasn't going to lose his job. He'd accumulated too much equity during the 2024 season for that. But after a season that promised the world and delivered almost nothing, measures were needed.
Joe Whitt Jr. was fired. Kliff Kingsbury parted ways with the club after a disagreement on how best to take the offense forward. David Blough received a promotion to replace the play-caller on offense. D.J. Williams is the new quarterbacks coach, and the Commanders are going big game hunting for their next defensive coordinator.
The times are changing. Couple this with the significant alterations sure to arrive on the playing personnel side, and things are going to look entirely different for the Commanders entering 2026.
This is an adapt-or-die business. Quinn waited too long to make changes during his time as Atlanta Falcons head coach. He wasn't going to do the same again. Being a leader means acknowledging flaws and being willing to adjust accordingly, so this is at least a sign that he is willing to try new things to turn things around.
The Commanders still have Jayden Daniels. They still have Terry McLaurin. They still have Laremy Tunsil. They have some intriguing young pieces who can hopefully become more influential. Everything is doom and gloom right now, but this project is salvageable if the correct moves are made in the coming weeks and months.
This might not be what the Commanders fans are used to seeing. But after one sensational season followed by one dismal campaign, that may not necessarily be a bad thing.
If it doesn't work, Quinn will be gone. He's been around long enough to know what comes next if Washington's fortunes don't improve. Changes have been swift, and more are coming. It could still go either way, but at least the head coach is not sitting on his hands.
Nobody should criticize him for that, regardless of how things go from here.