Dan Quinn sought counsel from unlikely source before taking Commanders' job

Dan Quinn is the man tasked with spearheading a new era of Washington Commanders football. It's a responsibility he's not taking lightly, putting in maximum effort and demanding the same from his players as Week 1 at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers draws ever closer.

The Commanders - new general manager Adam Peters, in particular - thought Quinn was the right leader to take on this ambitious project. Others were considered, but this seemed like a realistic outcome from a long way out.

Those in power did their due diligence on Quinn. The former Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator also conducted his research before accepting the job. This included speaking at length to the man he was potentially replacing in the nation's capital.

Dan Quinn spoke with Ron Rivera before accepting Commanders' head coaching job

During an appearance on Adam Schefter of ESPN's podcast, previous head coach Ron Rivera stated he'd discussed the situation in Washington and what working for majority partner Josh Harris is like with Quinn during a telephone conversation. The previous head coach has great respect for his replacement and thinks the Commanders are on the right path after some impressive moves across the roster this offseason.

"I got a lot of respect for Dan [Quinn]. We coached against each other in the NFC South. I won some divisions, he won some divisions. I got to a Super Bowl, he got to a Super Bowl. I like who Dan is, he's a standup guy. He called and asked me the lay of the land and stuff. He asked me a little bit about Mr. [Josh] Harris, and we had very frank conversations about things. And you know, they've done a really nice Job. As I've said, I've really liked some of the things that they've done as far as the draft, free agency, and I really did like what they did on defense. The one question will obviously be the pass-rush, but other than that, I really do think they've done some nice things. "

- Ron Rivera

The writing was on the wall for Rivera from the moment Washington's ownership changed hands. His final campaign was a disaster as players became unmotivated and schematic demands didn't fit the modern-day game. A fresh start was imperative. Quinn is looking to provide that and more during his time at the helm.

There are already some notable differences. The energy is higher in practice. The demands are greater on the players and they are responding accordingly. There's more collaboration among the coaching staff - more trust in pursuit of one common goal. Washington is moving forward with a collective mindset rather than nervously looking over their shoulders.

That's a refreshing change of pace. It doesn't always guarantee success, but it's not the worst place to start by any stretch of the imagination.

Rivera was a decent guy and fought through personal hardship throughout his four-year journey with the Commanders. It didn't go the way anyone wanted, but that's football sometimes. What's important now is focusing on the future and ensuring this exciting time in franchise history gains more positive momentum in the weeks and months ahead.

Quinn will be at the forefront. As for Rivera? He'll be watching intently as he embarks on a new career path in the analyst realm.

The circle of life.